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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23610196">You have to talk to ghosts to get to know them</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/yamarugi/pseuds/yamarugi'>yamarugi</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 5, Persona Series</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>3rd semester spoilers, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Denial of Feelings, Gen, Goro Akechi and his 600 doors of hiding, Guilt, Heavy Angst, Intrusive Thoughts, M/M, Persona 5: The Royal Spoilers, Possible Suicide mentions, Royal Spoilers, a lot of angry emotions from like everyone, but still possibly there, later in the fic, refusal of feelings, there was definitely something going on between the two</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 15:48:24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>40,500</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23610196</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/yamarugi/pseuds/yamarugi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The universe always seemed to be against Goro Akechi. Handing him a horrible hand every time he tried to do anything, and even when he got something good, it just seemed to be that he'd fuck that up too.</p><p>For someone who thought he was incapable of love, love and care, this hurt more than he could've ever imagined.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Akechi Goro/Amamiya Ren, Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>83</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Stupidity and Anger</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">


        <li>
            Inspired by

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/14350851">He died instead of me.</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/yamarugi/pseuds/yamarugi">yamarugi</a>.
        </li>

    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>EDIT :: JULY 9TH - NEW READERS!!! HI!!! As a small note, the first chapters are quite short, but after abouuuut chapter 7, they start getting a lot longer, sorry about this!</p><p>Wow, it's been a while since I wrote something long term! I'm revising an old fic, and re-using it's main plot premise. That was from just under 2 years ago? (He died instead of me), and is still up on my account, so if you want a short, not so great read, it's there.</p><p>This take on what happened is a lot more emotionally fuelled than the last one, and I'm pretty proud of how this first chapter has come out? I'm not sure when the second chapter will be out, but I'll try not to make it too much of a wait!</p><p>I should also say, if you came here for Akechi and Akira being together uh, they're not, sorry to get your hopes up, shippers (I can say this, I'm one myself)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Everyone was tired, it wasn’t just Akechi himself; Joker, Skull, Mona, Panther- He still remembered their names, all of them. He put it down to his detective skills, being able to identify and remember individuals either by name, face, or, a stupid codename given to them by a stupid leader. He hated them- he hated all of them, but Joker the most. He was the worst of them all, the most despicable, the most disgusting.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Why could someone like him be better than the detective prince? Why was some trash always better than him? Joker had no motivations, he didn’t HAVE to do this, all he got from it was petty fame. Akechi had reason, he had a purpose, he had to get revenge on the man who completely and utterly destroyed him, destroyed his mother, destroyed everything he could’ve ever had that’d be considered “normal”.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But- why did it fill him with terror to hear Joker’s answer to that question? The damn puppet, the voice perfectly imitating his own, saying these exact words</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <em>
    <span>“I’ll let someone volunteer to take his place, who knows, you might delay his death.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Why had Joker been so stupid? Why did he decide to respond with a simple “I will” before pushing Akechi out of the way; Why would he do that- to someone he’s supposed to despise, someone who he’s supposed to want dead- Some filth on the face of the earth that needs to be cleaned up by the pure!</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As he tried to scramble back to the shutter side where he rightfully belonged, Joker shot his gun, aiming for the button Akechi would’ve shot at- Pushing him once again to the other side of the shutters, into the “arms” of a group who hated his every breath. He was stupid, so stupid, for even letting them help, he should’ve shot the shutter button as soon as he got the chance, he should’ve shot it, and their stupid, idiotic, disgusting leader. He should’ve killed him for real this time, killed him and laughed as his teammates cried. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But, as much as he wanted to, there was now no chance to, nor, deep down, did he really think he’d be able to live with something as heavy as killing the man he loved- No, no. He didn’t love him, he could never love him, he could never love a disgusting thief, a criminal, someone who stood so firmly against him, someone who wouldn’t care if Akechi himself died or disappeared- But-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was no time for that. The shutters were coming down, and fast, all Akechi was left to do was try to scream Joker’s name. Try to scream for the man he loved- No, hated- loved- hated, both of them mixed into a disgusting amalgamation of envy and horror at those emotions even existing. Akechi wasn’t weak like them, Akechi was strong, sound of mind, all of it. All the qualities of a detective prince.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> But, alas, all of the pressure inside of him burst, causing that yell to come crawling out, crawling out like he did when he revealed his intentions, unwanted and unneeded, utterly useless and pathetic, worthless, and can never achieve its objective. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Joker- Joker get back to this damn side of the shu- JOKER-!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>What was some pathetic yell going to do? Save him, like an angel coming from heaven? Just because he wanted things like that to exist, doesn’t mean they did. Things like that were reserved for children, children and adults stuck in their own fucked up fantasy lands that they used to their pleasure and happiness..</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The shutters came down with a thundering crash, like a knife through soft butter, separating the thieves from their leader, leaving them with a shallow, black void of a replacement. An unstable, black masked figure. Or, as they all knew now, Goro Akechi, the charming detective prince, the dashing and strong crow, the disturbing black masked killer, the son of Masayoshi Shido, Goro Akechi.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It would be fine, it should've been fine- But that noise, the gunshot, it proved everything wasn't fine. The leader of the Phantom Thieves, Akira Kurusu was gone, Joker, was gone. This wasn't the interrogation room, this time he was really gone, seriously and truly gone.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Was this how it had to end? Did it always have to end like this? With the one in the wrong being left to deal with the consequences for those in the right? To handle all the mess that was left behind as karmic justice? That's something Akechi was familiar with, justice. Something that looked true and pure, but seething and writhing with lies and darkness. That's the true justice that Akechi knew, knew and dealt with every day, every hour, minute and second of his life. Not the pretty glamorized and blind lady justice. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Justice lay in the hands of whoever dealt the cards of the situation he was dealing with, and the cards this time, didn't wish for anyone to be happy. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As the gunshots rang out in everyone's ears, small whispers of fear, whimpers and sniffles of sadness broke out in the group behind him. Why wasnt there any emotion he could express? Why was it all stuck to his lungs like a snake, constricting as he tried to breathe. This situation was too much- Yes, the black masked killer had been in worse, but this felt more disgusting, more terrible, more real. The man who he despised- No, that isn't the word for it, the man who he loved, was gone. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And it was his fault, truly and forever his fault.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Time slowed as he listened to the other thieves grasp what was going on. He'd been through deaths before, more than he wanted to, but this one; This one impacted an entire group's ability to function. All of them knew that too, that they didnt work together unless Akira guided them, he was their trump card, their scapegoat, their planner, their leader. And now he was presumably dead, on the other side of some shutters that wouldn't open again. No matter how many times they entered and re-entered the palace, they would stay shut, Joker's corpse would stay at the other side forever. Joker’s corpse would rot and become a plaything for the shadows under Shido, and then be tossed aside just like him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>No. He couldn’t be the same as Joker. They were not the same, they would </span>
  <b>
    <em>never</em>
  </b>
  <span> be the same.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He didn't want to stay with those people, he could make his own way out of the metaverse, and so he would. He wasn't going to watch their pity party, and sure as hell wasn't going to be involved in it either, he could hold his own one of those when he's in private, hold one for the love he lost, for his mother, and for the child he used to be. They’re all pathetic, they’re all stupid. Why would they just start relying on each other, did no one ever tell them the lone wolf is always more successful, as there's no one to betray them, and no one you have to betray?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They were pathetic, in Akechi’s eyes. Not as pathetic as Akira, but somewhere near his stupidity level. That was the only thought running through his head as he made his way out of the metaverse, how stupid and pathetic they all were. He could hear them crying and whimpering like hurt puppies, how pathetic. How cowardly. Not only to cry during a mission, but to stop in your tracks just because someone was gone. Thank god his own footsteps muffled those cries after a while, they were getting annoying.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As if he were a robot, he found his way out of the palace with ease, he could finish the job once those moping morons left. He didn’t need them getting in his way. All he needed was to focus, focus on his goal, and how not to let them interrupt it again. It isn’t like they’d go back in, they had no one to guide them, and they were nothing alone. Akechi didn’t even care for any of the rest, only Akira actually mattered. He was the only one with worth, the only one who could do something for himself, a black sheep amongst the followers, his own group.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Subways and walkways, central streets of dodging and evading fans, led him home, finally. The only place he wanted to be right now, away from it all, secluded in this small apartment, suffocating in his own emotions. What a lovely way to spend the night after killing the man you loved indirectly. A night of figuring out if he wanted to scream, or if he wanted to cry, figuring out why he felt </span>
  <em>
    <span>guilt</span>
  </em>
  <span> for an action he knew he had to complete at some point. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He removed his shoes, placing them neatly by the door, before removing his jacket and hanging it up. He felt as if a burden had been lifted from his shoulders already from removing the jacket, it was really the only thing that identified him as “Goro Akechi, The Detective Prince” and not “Goro Akechi, the personal hitman of Masayoshi Shido”. Taking off his tie, he sat down on the floor, undoing his top two buttons to cool off, the room was too warm. It was winter, he could easily just turn down the AC. But, that was a hassle, moving was a hassle, anything that interrupted his goals was a hassle, an inconvenience, a chance to feel more emotions than he should about what just happened, life is life, and life ends.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As he felt his thoughts fade into a white haze, he heard his phone go off, snapping him back into reality, dragging him away from staring into nothingness. His phone kept beeping, over and over and over, buzzing against the wood table. It was irritating, more irritating than anything that had happened that day. But, if it weren’t just to add the icing atop the cake, of course it had to link to what had happened.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>[Ryuji]</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>| Can you believe the guy!? He just up and left without any effin’ apology! No damn help! He just let Akira die! |</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>| He screams at us for being friends first, then kills our leader, what’s the guys damn deal!? |</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>[Ann] </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>| Some people like him just don’t change… Wait- Isn’t he in this chat? |</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>[Futaba] </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>| He probably won’t even check it. HE! DOESN’T! CARE! |</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>| He didn’t care when he killed my mom, he didn’t care when he killed Haru’s dad, and he didn’t care when he killed Akira! |</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>[Ryuji]</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>| Effing thank you Futaba! He doesn’t care for us, and we shouldn’t give two shits for him! |</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>[Haru] </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>| Although harsh… I must agree, he has done more than just one thing that is unforgivable, firstly trying to kill our leader with a disgusting plan, which we thwarted with Futaba’s help… and now making him trade his life to keep Akechi alive. He’s a manipulative man.. |</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Enough was damn enough, that chat- How dare they?! How dare they accuse HIM of such a thing? He didn’t even want to remember them, but to have them blatantly accuse him of never caring. Whatever, if that was the picture they painted of him, so be it. He was the manipulator, the cold, calculated and emotionless, the man who killed their leader. That’s what mould they wanted him to fill, so goddammit, he was going to fill that mould.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He turned his phone to silent, falling back onto the hard floor. He didn’t care how much it hurt, he just wanted to let himself go. He wanted to dissolve into the floor, becoming nothing but a memory to those who used him for their own gain. That was fine at this point. It was better than not being remembered at all, not being remembered for all the suffering he went through. His thoughts became spaced and airy, his consciousness growing thin. He knew he shouldn’t sleep in his work clothes, but all the motivation and intent to change had been sucked out of his body as soon as it hit the floor, maybe it was floating around in those thoughts of his head, somewhere close, but too far out of reach to grasp.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Today had truly been a long day, and all it had left him with was guilt, the guilt of knowing that-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“You killed him”</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>
      <br/>
    </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>
      <br/>
    </span>
  </em>
  <span>No, he didn't- that was just his brain playing tricks on him, Akira made that choice himself-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“You killed him, Goro Akechi”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His head kept repeating and repeating the phrase </span>
  <em>
    <span>“You killed him”</span>
  </em>
  <span>. It was weird. He never felt like this any other time- so why now? It’s not like he cared who lived and died- his only want was for Shido’s karmic justice to catch up with him, trip him over and impale him in the heart so something could change but- He had killed so many people before, why did this one hurt so much? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Akechi tried his best to drown out the noise, the repeating motto, before closing his eyes, trying to drift off to sleep. Another big day ahead of him tomorrow, no more phantom thieves to clear his paths for him, he had to do this one alone, forever and truly alone. Just like Shido said he would be-.. right?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Television faces</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Words to be regretted. Of course they were. Commenting on such a big topic would cause a stir- If he’d never said that… just maybe.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>“I’d love to hear some more in detail opinions on the phantom thieves.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Words to be regretted. Of course they were. Commenting on such a big topic would cause a stir- If he’d never said that… just maybe. He saw the lady stand up, thank god, her over happy demeanor was getting annoying. She seemed to be headed to the audience- great, he was getting what he asked for, why couldn’t he just keep his mouth shut? He didn’t need to give them more representation, he should’ve shut up after the Santa Claus comment. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Alright! Let’s ask this student here!” Her stupid cheerful tone, how fake. Not like Akechi could say anything about a fake tone, or a fake face, but he could comment on how draining and annoying it was. “Hypothetically speaking, if the thieves existed, what would be your thoughts on them?” </em>
</p><p> </p><p><em> The boy felt familiar. Black hair, glasses. Maybe it was just a common face though, it couldn’t be that they’d met before. Well, before yesterday. He felt familiar when they met in the hallway too. Most likely just coincidence, right? A lot of people looked like him. He would’ve been </em> <b> <em>just fine</em> </b> <em> , if it weren’t for his response. </em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “They do more than the police ever have” </em>
</p><p> </p><p><em> Rude. Piece. Of. Shit. He can’t say that, but what else does he say? “Oh, you’re completely right, random boy who feels oh so familiar”? No, no. He just let out a laugh. A nice, classy laugh. That was a good thing about being able to be so fake. Anything you do </em> <b> <em>seems</em> </b> <em> real to an onlooker. That lady started to speak again, disgusting, the fake tone he put on himself being said out of someone else's mouth sounded weird. </em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “This completely goes against the opinion you had about them being tried in a court of law, Akechi-kun!” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> There was a moment of silence, it took him a second to realise he needed to respond. If he could’ve, he would’ve just dragged that man up on stage and forced him to explain all his points, he couldn’t even believe that he’d just gone against someone so famous. Someone so famous and powerful. It’s funny, even he couldn’t convince himself of his power over the public. That was the power of a secret killer, that’s what he chalked it up to, or, maybe it was that God, spirit- whatever it was, at work again. He didn’t care, the power trip was enough reward on its own. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Indeed, it is rather intriguing to hear such a strong acknowledgement”  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> He needed to carry on, he knew that, leaving it at such a short statement is… too little, especially for a celebrity. People have expectations from him, and have needs for what he must say to appease the crowds. He’d already been bold in stating such a strong opinion, even if he knew these thieves were real, he couldn’t go claiming such things without an extremely strong argument to back it. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Say, lets take your friend, who’s sat next to you. What if one day, his heart suddenly changed. Would you take that as the work of the Phantom Thieves?” </em>
</p><p> </p><p><em> “What would you take it as?” </em> <em> <br/></em> <em> <br/></em> <em> This kid was pushing his luck. So, so far. But, once again, Akechi had to keep up the fake persona of being a sweet and caring teen who had just accidentally landed into detective work due to his intelligence. It was fine though, it would all be fine, just- keep it up, that’s what he kept running throughout his head. There was something that still intrigued him though. Other than yesterday, where did he know this kid from? It didn’t make sense, he felt so familiar, but so different. Like- he’d seen someone else wearing the skin of the kid sat in the seats away from him. </em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Throwing my own question back at me, I see… Clever, clever.”  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> He showed a fake smile again, god, how he loved showing those. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>  “But, I personally think I’d be more concerned with the methods of how they change people’s hearts. Is it not immoral, to do something against someones will like that? Or, even, what if this ability is used for more than just confessions?” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>  A topic he’d know much about, being the acclaimed black mask killer and all. Palace rulers loved to talk about him to those Phantom Thieves, it isn’t like they’re a threat. They were stepping stones, if anything, a perfect way to get away with more crimes under Shido, and get away with knocking away some competition over the metaverse, somewhere where he had almost complete control for a very long time. </em>
</p><p> </p><p><em> “Normal crimes, everyday crimes, could be carried out by these thieves… and we’d never know, it’d all be hidden. Isn’t that a terrifying concept?” </em> <em> <br/></em> <em> <br/></em> <em> “You’re absolutely right, Akechi” God- another annoying voice. This one sounded like a “kinder” version of his father, maybe some sort of fake, or imitation. </em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Don’t misunderstand. This is only hypothetical speak, this isn’t anything concrete or serious- It’s only if they actually possess these abilities-” They do. He knows they do. “No matter the case, this can’t go ignored, especially not by the public. If the public ignores this, imagine what sort of danger they’ll be putting themselves in at the hands of these- “Phantom Thieves”. They’re a threat to everyday life, and need to be eradicated.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> As he spoke, his demeanor changed, moving to a more relaxed sitting position, as if he were talking to a friend. He knew he wasn’t, no one here would ever be a “friend”, only just stepping stones or acquaintances. But, appearances and masks were key, and he’d been practicing such for years now. The perfect cover up for anything at all.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Actually, I’m already working with the police to sort these matters. As I’ve previously said, I’d like to see these “Thieves of Justice” be put to trial in a court of law, to see how well their “Justice” holds up against the truth of the law.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> As he finished saying that, a man behind the cameras yelled out “CUT!”, which meant they’d finally finished. Thank god, all he wanted was to take a break, not be in the blinding spotlights and answering pathetic questions from silly little fangirls who thought they even had a chance with him. He’d rather be shot in the head than do all that for a second time. Staying put in the uncomfortable chair, he watched the Shujin students filter out in little groups, watching as an odd group, the same odd group he had met the day before, stuck around, two of them going off in seperate directions, leaving- that one, in their wake. The black haired kid who thought that he was all high and mighty for giving a smartass answer. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> From what he could overhear, the blonde man had gone to the bathrooms, and the girl had gone to wait outside. She seemed annoyed, how funny. As the other two left, he saw it as a chance to try to talk with the black haired kid. It’s not like it could do any harm, right? All it was, was a simple conversation between two people with differing viewpoints. Just because he was annoying, didn’t mean he wouldn’t make for an interesting debate partner. That was what decided it, as he stood up, and walked to this… stranger. He had to be a stranger. There was absolutely no way he had seen him before. Back to his stage persona. No more “real Akechi”, back to the fake he always showed. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Oh! It’s you!” Even his walk felt fake, this wasn’t right. Something wasn’t right “I was so worried I wouldn’t be able to talk to you after the show, I’d just like to thank you” </em>
</p><p> </p><p><em> Why did he feel- genuine about this? This wasn’t supposed to be genuine. Before he could continue, the boy spoke. </em> <em> <br/></em> <em> <br/></em> <em> “Oh, uh.. You’re welcome? I was only presenting my opinion, like you asked, we do seem to have differing ones, though- right?” </em></p><p> </p><p><em> He wasn’t too outgoing. Odd, really. He seemed to expect more. He </em> <b> <em>felt</em> </b> <em> like there was more, this kid couldn’t be so oblivious to it all. This kid wasn’t normal. But, he had to keep going, no faltering over a hypothesis being incorrect. </em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “To paraphrase Hegel, Advancement cannot occur without both thesis, and antithesis. You provided me with the second half, the antithesis to my statement.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> The black haired boys face scrunched in confusion. Of course, he’s not going to be used to this. Akechi was a celebrity and all, it must be amazing for him to be properly recognised by him, right? That’s what he’d think if he were naive. But, naivety wasn’t a way to describe Goro Akechi, and never had been. </em>
</p><p> </p><p><em> “I apologise, let me p-” </em> <em> <br/></em> <em> <br/></em> <em> “No, I get it. I just don’t understand your thanks-” </em></p><p><em> “I was saying thank you, because only a few ever speak their minds freely like you did back there. It gave me a great conversation topic, and I’d like to personally thank you. Adults only care for teens if they’re useful, yes? And we only do as they say. What’s your name? I never asked for it yesterday, and I was curious.” </em> <em> <br/></em> <em> <br/></em> <em> It was a moment of silence between the two, before the other spoke again, as he put out a hand. Akechi went to touch his hand, an almost real smile on his face, but as soon as his glove touched the bare hand, everything went blank. A black void. He could’ve sworn he had heard the boys words as everything blacked out. But, all he could really pick up was “Akira Kurusu” before he was thrust back into reality. </em></p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <b> <em>03:54am.</em> </b>
</p><p> </p><p>Another memory dream. He’d had another memory dream, and this time, it was about meeting the man he killed. Joker. Akira. Kurusu-kun. The man he hated, the man he envied, the man who he could’ve almost sworn, he loved. But, that’s in the past. The past can’t be altered, and a dead man stays dead. As he looked over to the small digital clock on his bedside table, he groaned. This was going to be a sleepless night no matter what he did. May as well just start the new day, but this time, at 4am.</p><p> </p><p>He pushed himself up and out of his bed, patting around for his phone. Shit. He’d turned it off. He couldn’t use it as a light, nevermind, he could easily just navigate through his room to find the lightswitch, he’d done it before, he could do it again. Sure, the other circumstances weren’t waking from dreams of meeting the man you killed again, but- they were fair enough practice. He didn’t really notice till he was up that he’d been sweating. Did his body register that as a nightmare? He hoped not, he had enough of those as is, he didn’t need this stupid incident to become another one of them.</p><p> </p><p>As soon as the barrage of light hit his eyes, it hit him how tired he really was. Sleepless nights of work were getting to him again, it was all in the effort of killing the man who caused this so… it must be a good cause, right? Whatever, it didn’t matter, he thought, picking up his phone once again as he turned it back on. He wasn’t checking that chat, he couldn’t give less of a damn about those stupid thieves. It was their fault this happened, it was THEIR fault they got in the way of his picture perfect plan. At least they still cleared out a pathway for him. There was no way he could fail now, he could point that gun straight at Shido’s head, revelling in the pure catharsis of the situation as he watched the shadow die. The pure gold of watching everything he ever worked towards coming true.</p><p> </p><p>His kitchen was dark, unless you counted for the upturned mobile torch providing some basic lighting for him as he sorted things to make some coffee. That is one thing he’d miss, he was  emotionally barred from Le Blanc. If not Sojiro, Futaba. He’d miss the coffee, but that’s about it. Being there would just cause unnecessary memories to reappear, and he doesn’t need more things floating on the plate that was his mind, he just needed to follow his plan.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Kill Masayoshi Shido, and exact revenge in the name of your mother. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>It was odd. He wished it was all he could think about, but the only thing on his mind was that dream. It felt so real. All the raw emotions he felt on that stage were coming back, that weird feeling of honesty as he spoke to Akira for the first time, that weird- wave of familiarity. He knew why that was now, of course. Akira and Joker were one in the same, and the figure in a black coat changing hearts of criminals was him too. His perfect rival.</p><p> </p><p>Thoughts filled his mind, until he heard a small click. His coffee was done, and now he could properly wake up. As he started to sip, he looked back down at his phone.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>04:09am</b>
</p><p> </p><p>Time really did pass slower now, didn’t it?</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Here we go again! This chapter was originally going to be majorly different but- instead, Akechi and his "nightmares". enjoy.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. We're so similar, but forever so different</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Akira. Was. Dead. No one really even cared, he’d just be a missing face in a crowd or a class photo. Or- that’s at least what Akechi wished was true, he knew that the real Akira was well-liked, someone who got along with anyone and everyone as long as they hadn’t wrong him or one of his many, many friends.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey hey! Sorry for a late update this time, writers block hit HARD- annnnd then I ended up writing the longest chapter of this fic so far. I've been playing too much of royal, but! For a fun fact for anyone reading, I'm actually past where this fic would take place. 64 hours total, baby! But, that's all, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>5:21am</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For the past hour or so, all the “Detective Prince” had done was think about that dream. Why did his subconscious even think of that again? Akira. Was. Dead. No one really even cared, he’d just be a missing face in a crowd or a class photo. Or- that’s at least what Akechi wished was true, he knew that the real Akira was well-liked, someone who got along with anyone and everyone as long as they hadn’t wrong him or one of his many, many friends. A classic hero. Someone who would be written in history books as a “tragic tale” or a “success sob story” for children to be read at bedtime by their clearly loving parents. Not like he’d know what that was like, being an issue child who was thrown from home to home as some sort of burden. It’s funny, he still was one of those.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>5:43am</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The time was passing quicker now, maybe he was just in a weird mood where nothing felt right again. It was fine though, it was common enough to become one of the many emotions he’d learnt to repress over the years. He wrote a list of those emotions once, it was the first time he felt content about whatever “progress” he had made, seeing as his worth was valued on how little joy he felt, only feeling some form of joy when he watched a shadow of some stranger writhe in pain on the floor as he let them bleed out like an animal, on how little remorse and sadness he felt from doing so, how much anger he had repressed to become the perfect “pleasant boy” to present to the public and the media, and then let all those “emotions” that were “pent up” out on some poor soul that had looked at Shido the wrong way, or spoke to him with the wrong tone. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was always something petty with Shido, really. Most of these people weren’t that bad, but did something to personally annoy Shido to a point of wanting them made crazy or killed. The only case he couldn’t use this method of thinking was Ms Isshiki. Wakaba Isshiki, the mother of Futaba Sakura. That was his first one, oddly enough. That was when Shido wanted him to prove his worth, if he even had any. All he could think was “This is fair” and “Who would ever believe a delusional child, let alone an orphaned one?”. But nonetheless, he took the task, and it led to the start of him being Shido’s personal hitman.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Remembering everything he had actually done under this disgusting man was… weird. It didn’t feel all that real to him, it more felt like some dark, obscure book he had picked up on his way home from a TV interview. But it wasn’t. This was the dark, true reality of everything that he had started, all that he’s done. He’s a murderer, through and through, with no way to deny his actions. By his own “Justice”, he should be arrested and tried for all his crimes, probably hundreds of them. It’d be life in prison, for sure. That was another thing that separated him and Akira. Akira was only barely a criminal, Akechi was a through and through serial killer, who revealed in any chance he got to express emotions so deeply repressed, no matter the method.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>6:02am</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Perfect. It was past 6am, that meant he could start properly getting ready for more interviews, more things Shido planned for him. “Do this, do that, go there, be here” God, he despised him. If he could, Akechi would’ve already gone into his office and wrapped his hands around his “father’s” neck and revelled in the fact he’d finally got to feel some form of emotion that wasn’t derived from the stupid job he had put him up to. But, that could wait, seeing as the thieves had now pathed his way to get to Shido, his goal was nearly complete.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Walking to the bathroom, he started to rehearse what he would say in his head. No one would’ve told the police that Akira was missing yet, so he didn’t have to comment on it. He knew he’d be asked about the thieves though, and be asked about the “death” of their leader. Little did they know, he had actually died now, not that fake death he pulled off back just a few days ago. How funny, he thought. He could survive a bullet to the head, but couldn’t survive a few shadows. Maybe he really did overestimate him, maybe Akira really was a disappointment.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> That didn’t matter now though, all that mattered was that he didn’t falter. Not on stage, not off stage, the only place he was safe to falter was in this cramped little bathroom of his. He didn’t even pay for this place, Shido did, and he knew he’d lose any standing once Shido was Prime Minister, meaning now was his only shot at securing any sort of life away from being a personal hitman. This was his true shot of being </span>
  <em>
    <span>someone</span>
  </em>
  <span> for once in his pathetic existence. Not “That orphan who never found a home”, not “Shido’s bastard son”, and for fucks sake, never, EVER again, a puppet.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Standing here in his bathroom was odd. He could’ve sworn he’d felt this way before, just not here. Was it at work? At a restura-. Le Blanc. That’s what it was. He felt safe there, and he felt safe here- No, he didn’t feel “safe” at Le Blanc- it was a place of gaining information. That was it. Not somewhere he’d feel safe, or happy- none of those times where he’d talk to Akira actually mattered, they were only to gain information to use against him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That’s what he wished, anyways.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>If life was that easy, he would’ve already felt secure somewhere, he would’ve been happy by now. He wouldn’t have developed an emotional attachment to someone like Akira, he wouldn’t have even considered him a friend, they would’ve never talked at that TV station and they would’ve never cared for each other's existence. It would’ve been ideal. It would’ve been perfect. And by god, did Akechi adore perfection.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> Maybe he didn’t actually adore it, but it had definitely been pushed into his head so much that he forced himself to love it. Things going his way were good, any other way was treachery, and it was disgusting. That’s why he hated Akira, he could strive to live without perfection. How could someone not want to live with a safety blanket such as that? It didn’t make </span>
  <b>sense</b>
  <span>. How could he be happy like that? “Why couldn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> be happy like him?” Akechi thought to himself. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was clearly above Akira, he was perfection itself. He had developed a quick and simple method of destroying palaces and their rulers, letting himself garner fame from solving the mental shutdowns left behind. All “Joker” was, was a false front that this lowly highschool student, Akira Kurusu, put up to feel as if he had some worth in this eat or be eaten world. It was laughable. How stupid did he have to be? He couldn’t even make his false confidence convincing. Take a lesson off of Goro Akechi for once. Learn how to fake a smile, learn how to fake a laugh, fake everything till maybe one day your disgusting fake personalities become your real ones.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> He truly did hate him. He had to, he’d never felt anything as strong towards anyone before Akira. It had to be hate, it’s not like just because he was around his polar opposite that he’d suddenly grow attached. They weren’t similar in any way, because Akechi was better than him, he knew that he was better than Akira, he always would be better than Akira. He was more popular, more liked, more well known, more </span>
  <em>
    <span>loved.</span>
  </em>
  <span> He was stronger, he could win in any fight, whereas Akira had to rely on puny and idiotic “friends.” It’s funny, he offered Akira a chance to side with him. His face contorted in the mirror. He couldn’t tell if that was voluntary, or just by choice. All he knew is that in his head, was the perfect picture of what had conspired that night.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“You have become quite skilled, Akira. It’s nice to see, you started off so terribly, but now you can beat me. Although I had a self imposed handicap… you still did well.” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Those words- they were like poison slipping off of his tongue. False praise that maybe, by god he just hoped, maybe Akira would fall for. It was lovely to see him smile, even if he knew for a fact it was giving him false hope. How he wished, in the moment, to be able to tell Akira that he would’ve loved to go back in and try to beat him over and over by using his dominant hand. But it was late, they couldn’t do that. It’s not like Akira would want to, either. Even if he gave those sweet smiles, those… compliments, all the times he treat Akechi during their outings- He wouldn’t want another round of billiards.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“..Well- thanks. Practice makes perfect, right, Goro?” A sweet laugh- It wasn’t fake either. God. He couldn’t handle it. “Plus, I couldn’t just let myself lose to you, could I?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>A sigh escaped Akechi’s lips before he spoke again. He hated this part of their conversations, Akira getting all high and mighty- there are so many things he wanted to do to shut him up but- he couldn’t. There was no way. It’d be all over the press if he- Nevermind. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Of course, I wouldn’t expect any less from my rival. Remember how I said we were similar? We’re both the victims of unjust adults, only we have the will and power to rise up against them, and to protect everyone else who isn’t strong enough, correct?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>A small nod from Akira was all he needed to carry on. Of course he was listening with all ears, who wouldn’t when their friend- or even partner in crime for the time being, was a famous detective who could sway their entire groups motive with just a few honey drizzled words.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Our stances, however, differ greatly. You’re a phantom thief, and I am a detective. We’re supposed to oppose each other, yet here we are, working side by side. For the time being, of course, this could all change oh so suddenly, if something were to happen to one of us, or something similar.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Are you threatening to kill me, detective?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Why did he find that so </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>funny?</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span> It was stupid- Why did Akechi himself love to hear him laugh? Why did he want to actually see him happy? That death threat was serious-! He was planning to kill this man in a week's time. God- he was an idiot. Both of them were idiots. Stupid kids trying to figure out their place in the world, and it working out terribly. He couldn’t tell, did he want him to shut up, or did he want to kiss him to shut him up? Both were pathetic things he shouldn’t have been thinking about.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“No, not yet, Akira. Just because you have a death wish, doesn’t mean I wish to oblige. When I part from the thieves, it sure will be a shame not to be able to work with you anymore. We could partner up, if you wish, all you’d really have to do is abandon those teammates you have.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Akira’s face dropped, perfect, he was caught off guard. From his face, Akechi could discern- he was thinking about the possibility of actually abandoning them. God, Akira was pathetic, huh? Thinking to abandon the people who had supported him for one man who wanted him dead. Was he really that head over heels? Really? Pathetic. Akechi could barely begin to imagine letting his emotions blind him like that, it was a disgusting thought.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m joking of course, Akira. I wouldn’t ask you to abandon them, I think we work better as rivals, don’t you agree?”</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>
      <br/>
    </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>
      <br/>
    </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>“..Yeah- we work better as rivals.” His tone had shifted, he sounded almost sad. Weird. “But, I’m taking it as that’s your final words for our meeting tonight?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>As he nodded, he felt a hand slip into his own- Akira was lifting his hand- What the hell was he doing?! They were in public, what the FUCK was he doing?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“As my goodbye gift, dearest detective,” He planted a small kiss on the back of Akechi’s gloved hands, before waving, turning on his heel, and leaving off into the night. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Kurusu-!” Akechi yelled, hoping for him to stop- how dare he do that? They’re outside, someone could’ve seen or taken a photo, and if they’ve done that- there would be rumours of them dating, which is far beyond the truth. He turned the now kissed hand over, making sure nothing was left on his glove- lip gloss marks. Of course. He’d always noticed Akira seemed to wear makeup on their meetups, be it simple eyeliner, or mascara and lipstick too.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“You disgust me, Akira..” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As if this were a dream again, only the beeping of his phone snapped him out of his thoughts.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>6:30am</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Really? It had only been about 20 minutes? How weird. It didn’t matter though, Akechi just had to get ready to leave for the day. Before fully sorting his jacket out, before smoothing the fabric, he took a look at his hand again. There wasn’t a glove there anymore, seeing as the glove Akira kissed was the one he threw at him all that time ago. Even knowing that it was gone, the thought of him being anywhere near kind to him was disgusting, and immoral. What a horrible leader the Phantom Thieves.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>6:49am</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Finally, at the Shibuya station. Just where he needed to be, he was taking the connecting train to that TV station again. Another interview- a full schedule for today. It’d be helpful if he could sleep tonight, he’d really need it. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>7:08am</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The TV station. He hated this place, so so much. At least he got treated like some world renowned singer here, not some low life hitman. As he walked to sign himself in for the day, he paid no attention to the producers trying to grab his attention. “Adverts this, adverts that”, he couldn’t care less. All he cared for was getting this over with, he was going into that damn palace tonight.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Akechi-kun? Are you ready to go on air? We’re starting in abouuuut- eleven minutes!” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That stupid cheery lady again. She acted like his biggest fan, almost forgetting that she had tried to de-credit him multiple times previously, during the Mejed case, during the Kaneshiro case.  But, now Okumura died, and now the leader of the phantom thieves died- it was all done, all simple and over.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m perfectly ready to go. Once again, thank you for inviting me on, it’s always a pleasure”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>No, no it wasn’t, lying again. The perfect way to get out of any situation with these idiots was lying.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Great! We’ll see you on set then!” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With that, she turned and walked off, hitting a pen against the top of her clipboard. An annoying habit, perfectly fit to an annoying woman. And what a damn annoying start to the day. The detective prince knew it’d be long enough already, but with this extra need to be all sweet and caring on TV, it was painful. He just wanted to scream, to yell at all those fangirls who think they know him, yell at them and scream about how ignorant they were, how they idolised someone they think they know, even though it was all an act! </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t actually know how much time passed between those thoughts and being talked to by that lady, but he knew for a fact he was walking towards the stage again. Smile. Be kind. Be polite. Be pleasant. Be the perfect teenage example so parents can use you to show how their child should be. Little did either the children or parents know, huh? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Little did they know, everyone in the country, every single soul who supported “Goro Akechi”, was really supporting a twisted murderer. A twisted murderer who got his thrills out of watching someone writhe.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Ad break ends in Ten.. Nine.. Eight.. Seven.. Six.. Back on air In five Seconds..-”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“And bringing back our favourite guest for this show, The Ace detective, Goro Akechi!”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>A puppet’s strings have been pulled once again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Static Feelings</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Memories began flooding back, as the scene played out in front of him. Him and Akira had been texting back and forth, it was only natural that they’d end up going out together, just as a talking meetup. No ulterior motive, just to speak on the matters they had become friends over.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The interview today felt like it dragged on for years, droning on and on and on about the stupid “Phantom Thieves”. It was times like these that Akechi wished he’d never voiced an opinion on them. Maybe if he hadn’t, he never would’ve been stuck like he is now, harbouring feelings for a dead man in his dressing room. Maybe, they would’ve never met, and he wouldn’t feel as guilty for what he did. Maybe, just maybe, he could’ve even got rid of the problem earlier.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The thought of Akira hadn’t even left his mind, he had to bullshit an excuse when he clearly got shocked that no one rivalled his opinion during the interview. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Stupid brain, stupid, stupid brain</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He missed the fact he had someone he could argue with, and now that he was gone, he was stuck in a world full of the adults that use him, the same adults he talked to Akira about.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>God dammit.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His mind was wandering again, it was so weird, he didn’t understand it. All he could keep thinking to himself was how Akira would’ve been if things had gone like normal. He wouldn’t have been upset over Akechi’s death, he would’ve laughed it off with all of his amazing friends, they would’ve just made it all seem like a funny joke, some story they could tell their children. It wasn’t like he would’ve disliked that outcome, at least some useless child was being recognised by someone, be it in a good light or a bad light, he just wanted to never be forgotten. He’d never want to be lost to history with all the horrible shit he’d had to go through.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Thoughts of Akira slowly crept into every hole in his mind, seeping through the cracks of his picture perfect prince appearance, letting out the actual teen underneath, a human, some pathetic, annoying, whining child. It was so stupid that he even cared for him, he couldn’t do that, he couldn’t care for someone that he so desperately wanted dead, someone who he wanted to be better than. Someone so far below him, some trash he could’ve just stomped out with his heel, crushing him into the dirt. Yet, something in his heart forced him to stop, made him do something similar to- caring. But then again, how could someone who’d been shown no care, care for someone? It just made no sense, never, ever. As that thought filled his mind, it was almost like his world went blank, returning him to somewhere so dear that he had forgotten.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>—————</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Memories began flooding back, as the scene played out in front of him. Him and Akira had been texting back and forth, it was only natural that they’d end up going out together, just as a talking meetup. No ulterior motive, just to speak on the matters they had become friends over.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh, and of course, to try more food for his food blog.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Due to all the detective work, he’d happened to neglect the “relatable” side of him. He hated half of the foods on that blog, but his fans lapped it up as the “Real Goro Akechi”. If only they truly knew the real him, maybe then they’d realise that he wasn’t as sweet and kind as he put up. However, that wasn’t what was going on. What was going on was that he had invited some nobody to a cafe so they could talk over food and coffee. How sweet. Part of it felt like he genuinely enjoyed this, the rest, however, was just him wishing to get a “break”. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“So, detective, why’d you invite me here?” He had a cat-like smile, it wasn’t completely innocent, but it was quite sweet to see. No- it couldn’t be sweet. There weren't any other feelings other than a friend here.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I just believed it would be nice to invite someone out with me, eating alone can get boring after all”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>A bittersweet tone that forced Akira to drop the cat smile on his face, instead letting it go to a solemn one, one that you’d see on a child who had dropped his ice-cream. Pathetic, really, but it was funny to see in a way. This- Akira, was unpredictable. He liked that. He liked that a lot.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Well- isn’t this for that foodblog of yours? Ann was telling me all about it after we ran into you in the halls of the television station- I don’t mean to sound weird or anything-! She just heard about it a while ago-” Once again. He was unpredictable, going from confidence and nicknames, to a blushing mess. How funny, Akechi didn’t get how he was so open so quick with a pretty much stranger. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>...Maybe, less, than a stranger, with how much they’d been messaging back and forth. It always felt as if Akira meant something different with his messages, they came off as too caring for someone he’d met just recently. Maybe it was just the buzz of talking to a celebrity, or maybe something more? That something more would’ve been weird. The one person he had… partially trusted, to have a simple debate with, turning out to be one of those- fans, or those people who fell in love at first sight. If that were the case, this “friendship” would most certainly have to be cut short.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“It is-” He paused, before laughing. A fake laugh, never a real one, but- it’s not like the other would know, “Ah- Don’t take this as me enjoying sweet delicacies, it’s more just a front I put up for my fans, you understand, yes?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He better not understand. He best not, they can’t be the same- they can’t be similar. He has friends. He has others who care for him. They’re not the same.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“..Sort of? Like, putting up a front to hide from others due to a past you want to run from?” Akechi could feel the colour drain from his face when he heard that, it was impossible that this nobody could know anything about what it’s like to put up a mask to hide yourself. “Was that too prying? I didn’t mean for it to come off that way, we’re only rivals afterall”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>How could he say that with such a smile on his face? How could he crack a joke at a time like this? How could he be so </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>happy?</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span> It was confusing- everything was confusing, a pool of emotions that you can’t make sense of because they’re all merged into some ungodly blob. Why did Akechi have to deal with this? He didn’t need some stranger prying into how he felt! But, guessing by Akira’s face, he’d noticed how much this had unsettled him. Perfect. Amazing. Just what he fucking needed.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Once again, uh- I’m sorry for prying- You just seemed to want an answer on the topic and all- Hows about we eat? Letting the food stay in the polluted air won’t do any good for the detective prince’s stomach, you know!” And there he went, back to his normal, bubbly self. A happier self that would simply blurt out whatever would make someone happy-</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>And for once, hearing that did bring a little bit of happiness to Goro Akechi, something he hadn’t felt for so long; brought back by some peasant. How funny.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Of course, I can’t just let you, or my fans down. Shall we enjoy it, then?” The detective hated putting on that voice, it felt wrong, it felt- disgusting, honestly. But, it seemed to make Akira smile. A part of him wanted to see him smile. How pathetic.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Silence fell over the two as they ate, only making vague hand gestures to signal whether they enjoyed their food or not, from both? A solid thumbs up. Even Akechi was surprised, even if he didn’t particularly enjoy sweet foods, this was a nice type of sweet. Maybe because- No, that’s preposterous, it couldn’t be because of that. As they both finished up, Akira was the first to restart the conversation.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“So, uh- Akechi, what is it like to be a detective? Especially one like yourself, with all the fame you gained for yourself by your proud statements about the thieves- that's how we met and all!" Innocence. That's all that was in the boy's voice, he didn't know anything, he would never figure out anything about the real Akechi.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"Ah, well, it isn't all glamour like the shows present it, it's a lot of stress, especially for a student going into college next year. However, it is nice to have the money to take a break such a-" His lies were interrupted by a woman's voice, a woman out in the streets beside the cafe.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"Oh my god- is that that one detective who's on television all the time?"</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"Isn't his name Goro Akechi? We should go try and ask for a picture, it'd be such a conversation topic!"</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"Bragging rights too!"</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Both the boys looked at each other, the tension from the silence once again. Akechi pressed his hands to the table, pushing himself up "I think I'll have to be going- I don't wish to cause a trouble to the cafe and all-"</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"Akechi- Stay!" Begging. He sounded like he was begging for Akechi to stay- it almost sounded like a child who had lost their parent in a store</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"I can't, I apologise. I don't want to cause a commotion, but it was lovely to be able to talk to you today. I'll message y-"</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>As he tried to walk away, he felt a gentle tug on his hand- Akira was holding his hand and pulling him away. The slight contect sent shocks through his body, why did this random kid think he could just grab his hand and drag him off-? Akechi's entire body was dragged towards the bathrooms, getting weird stares and looks from everyone else in the cafe. This looked so suspicious, two teens going to the bathrooms together- god- this was horrible, this is a terrible idea.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"Kurusu what are you doing-!? Someone could've seen and you're going to make this wor-" </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>His complaining was interrupted by a pair of hands making his way up to his scalp, gently ruffling his hair from a perfectly combed locks into a birds nest, the contact to his skin made him jump a little- fuck-. He hadn't felt this sort of contact for so long, he was so damn touch starved that even Akira messing up his hair made his body heat up, his face going red as the peasant kept messing up his hair</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"You look adorable like this, I didn't mean to make it look so weird though" Why was he so happy? Why was he smiling? This wasn't cute or funny or sweet, this was annoying! But, as he opened his mouth to retaliate, a pair of glasses were shoved onto his face.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"Perfect, you look perfect." He laughed, as he tucked a strand of Akechi's hair behind his ear "Now, we just go back out, and hope for the best"</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"This is disgusting, Akira- Why did you have to do this- we- I, could've just left, and things would've been fine-" The fact that his face was flushed red didn't help his point here, it was honestly making Akira smile more- this made it hard to truly deny that he didn’t like seeing Akira smile like this. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Snap out of it, Akechi! He’s just an acquaintance- you can’t be happy that he’s smiling, that goes against your stand points of getting close to people, was all he could think as this buffoon started to run his fingers through his hair, at this point, he was playing with it, just to annoy the detective.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“What types of hair products do you use, detective? Your hair is very soft, almost as soft as it looks! I wish I could have hair like yours, I really do-”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"Kurusu, be quiet. Let's just go back and sit down, we'll end up causing a scene-"</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>—————</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As he heard Akira's laugh fade back into the white noise of people talking, he looked down to his phone- Shit, he'd been spacing out for about half an hour, spacing out and imagining that- Imagining the man who-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Who he loved.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Everything in his head hurt, he couldn't dare try to imagine that he even cared- but now he could only think about how </span>
  <em>
    <span>much</span>
  </em>
  <span> Akira meant to him, how at that point he just wanted to pull him into a hug or something more just because the feeling of the thief's hands running through his hair sent electricity through his body, sparks flying into his heart, making him feel </span>
  <em>
    <span>alive</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Like a person- not like a tool, not like a puppet- a human.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He pushed his chair back from the vanity, knuckles snow white from how tightly he'd gripped onto the edge of the wood. This had to be hatred, there was no emotion stronger than that, and this was a strong emotion- So why did it make him feel so guilty? He couldn't understand, everything was blurry and all he wanted to do was to see Akira's smile again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Stupid fucking memories</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he thought, shaking off his hands, trying to get blood to return to its natural flow. Now the feelings had been recognised, instead of dealing with them in a healthy manner, he was going to brush them aside, to try to never think of it again- to never think of what he could've done better, what he could've done to stop Akira's death. It wasn't his fault. It was Akira's idea to take his place, he couldn't stop him, this would never be his fault- Or that's what he wished to believe, until hearing once again, that fateful beep from his phone.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>[Ryuji]</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>| So what's the effin' plan now? We just sit around and let Shido get what he wants, or let Akechi tarnish our name again!? |</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>[Ryuji]</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>| God, I can't stand the guy! He's so high and mighty and thinks he's sooooooo above everyone when in all reality he's some damn murderer! |</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>[Makoto]</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>| I can understand exactly where you are coming from. His betrayal of us, not once, but twice, shows us that someone who is truly vile will never change. |</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>[Ryuji] </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>| And now that Akira's gone we're probably the next targets! He's gonna kill us next! |</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>…</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>What would they not understand? He didn't ask to be like this- Sure, it filled him with a sense of fulfilment that he'd never get anywhere else, but he never wanted Akira dead-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>...Is that what it's like to love someone? To not want them to leave, or die- or hurt them? No; The ace detective's mind was racing, thoughts and contradictions filling every corner. He hated Akira, he reveled in his death, but now he wanted to protect him- he wanted to see that cat smile again, those grey eyes that sunk your heart like an anchor- Why was the only good thing in his life gone- why didn't he ever realise he was the best thing?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Akechi let himself lean against a wall, everything felt like it was collapsing in on itself, His chest tight, his vision blurred, everything just felt so wrong, so overwhelming- He missed him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He missed Akira Kurusu, Joker, A phantom thief, the LEADER of the phantom thieves.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He missed his smile, he missed his laugh, he missed having someone to talk to, someone who’d listen to him, someone who didn’t brush him aside as some orphan, or some useless child. He saw him as a friend- he </span>
  <em>
    <span>cared</span>
  </em>
  <span> about him. He shouldn’t have these feelings but they were </span>
  <em>
    <span>there. </span>
  </em>
  <span>They were rotting up in his heart and eating away at his soul like some sort of emotionally draining moth. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>No. That wasn't true- It could never be true.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>What sort of pathetic waste was he, growing attached to one of his hundreds of victims? Akira never actually cared for him, so why did he risk his life? He didn't get it- it didn't make sense- He felt his fist hit the wall, leaving a small dent, not too bad though. Mementos. I need to go to mementos, was all that was racing through his mind as he tried to grab his briefcase, running out of the building as quickly and normally as he could.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>—————</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As he stepped foot into Mementos, he felt a layer of stress stripped from his body, peeled off like a hang hangnail. Sure, it caused pain, but it was the satisfying kind, the kind that would be worth the pain. He pulled out his phone, looking at the MetaNav, the thieves had been here recently, there had been an update on what was going on here. No matter, all he had to do was find his target between all the floors, and get out his repressed emotions on some low life who he had been assigned to kill today.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Traversing Mementos was always a bore, endless hallways and endless tracks, all he could hope for was to see a platform heading to a lower area, or heading to a rest area. Although, when all the shadows are afraid of you, it isn't quite as hard, seeing as all they do is run and cower in fear, just like they should, falling in line and acting perfectly according to Akechi's own moral code on shadows, and lining up to be lambs to the slaughter.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Pulsating walls and an endless void into a new room, he had found his target. He didn't care for their name anymore, he just cared that they were begging for mercy on the ground. Sadly for them, they wouldn't comply. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"LOKI!" He screamed, lungs burning as he did. This happened everytime, his throat was always sore after Mementos trips, but being able to hack at some useless shadow over and over and over again, getting out his anger on some low life. "Die- Fucking die already-!" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"P-please let me live- I have a family- I have c-ch-" A simple bullet shut the shadow up.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I had one of those too. They wouldn't care if someone like you or I were dead."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The bitterness in his voice melted off his tongue like honey. It was disgusting, even to him. No one else enjoyed seeing this part of Akechi, not even himself. All he could think was how many innocent lives he's ruined, how many children he's put in his own position, how much of a hypocrite he was.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That didn't matter now though, he thought, wiping off his hand on the pants of his outfit. All that matter was that this was the build up, the final climb before the climax of his story, his life story. It didn't matter that he wasn't going to live to see himself go 19, he never cared that he would just end up offing himself what he planned to do. All he cared for, was killing Masayoshi Shido.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>—————</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>"Masayoshi Shido, Diet building, Cruise ship."</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>WOOOHOOOOO ROYAL FINISHED HEART BROKE! </p>
<p>anyways anyways! As always, thank you very much for reading, and thank you to my beta reader. care you a lot bro. honestly this chapter had a lot of- softer stuff? man I was just having fun. And also, recovering from the amount of sad shit that me and said beta reader had made. but hey! thank you for reading! if you wanna contact me, I'm @yamarugii on twitter! I'd love to interact with you guys more!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. False signs, false hope</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>All he had to do was kill Shido, kill him and watch his stupid shadow writhe in pain, beg for it’s life, beg for him to just forgive his dear old father. That’s all he ever had to do, and then he could finally end his own suffering without feeling guilty, knowing that he lived for a painful 18 years to avenge his mother. He could finally cut ties with this world with no guilt left in his system, and no one to get in his way. He could die, being the first “nothing” to make something out of their life.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He would go down as the “poor Detective Prince” who was “overwhelmed by everything in his life”. He’d finally be a story told to people, he’d live beyond his time, printed as ink onto pages that would be told as stories to nothing children like himself</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The palace was disgusting and dull as always, behind those masks were just rotting shells of corrupt adults, people he’d probably one day have to take out, but not anymore- things were going to change, change for once in the pathetic and useless life of Goro Akechi. He’d finally have his revenge, use what people had used against him for years, use what they had used to manipulate and control him for the past two years, he could finally get back at them, finally get his revenge as he stood over their corpses. Once they were gone, he had nothing to fear.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That was the plan, anyway.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A plan he’d been working on for years, working his way up in a society that didn’t care if he lived or died, working his way through the ranks, gaining trust, betraying his ideals, betraying what </span>
  <b>she</b>
  <span> would’ve wanted for him. All this to simply get revenge against Shido; all of this so he could finally feel needed, finally feel wanted, not feel like a crow in a room full of doves. Then again, that’s what he really was, wasn’t it? Some stain on society. Nothings aren’t supposed to be anything but nothings, that’s just a known fact, a fact shoved onto him since childhood, a fact he knew was just harsh and true reality.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>All he had to do was kill Shido, kill him and watch his stupid shadow writhe in pain, beg for it’s life, beg for him to just forgive his dear old father. That’s all he ever had to do, and then he could finally end his own suffering without feeling guilty, knowing that he lived for a painful 18 years to avenge his mother. He could finally cut ties with this world with no guilt left in his system, and no one to get in his way. He could die, being the first “nothing” to make something out of their life.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He would go down as the “poor Detective Prince” who was “overwhelmed by everything in his life”. He’d finally be a story told to people, he’d live beyond his time, printed as ink onto pages that would be told as stories to nothing children like himself, to give them a false sense of hope that’d spiral them into a similar life that he had, sending them into a world where they’d be manipulated and controlled by every damn adult that could wrap their hands around their throats, choking them of all potential until they pass out or die. So was the truth of this eat or be eaten world, it was a truth that everyone had to realise. If they couldn’t notice that, they were either naïve, or simply stupid and didn’t want to face the truth of their actions.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Parricide was a perfect plan in theory, a perfect revenge, picture-esque, almost as if it were out of a storybook, a tale of revenge and glory. That’s how you could describe it. As he pondered on that thought, it brought up another thought. Didn’t he and Akira constantly refer to their- friendship, as a novel? Some weird, cheesy novel of a detective and thief become nothing more than friends. Teammates for a little, then the classic, slightly unseen betrayal from the Detective. That’d normally bring the two closer in a happy novel, but life wasn’t a book, and he knew that Akira would’ve hated him now, wanting to watch him die, just like the rest of the world. It. Didn’t. Matter. Akechi’s plan was perfect, and would work out in everyone’s favour, he would kill Shido, and save at least a few more children in Japan from a fate such as his own.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That would’ve been the plan, if it weren’t for them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Footsteps echoed his own as he snuck around the palace; </span>
  <b>They’d come back.</b>
  <span> He assumed killing their leader indirectly would’ve put them off sneaking around palaces anymore, without their backbone to support their group. That, oddly enough, was one thing he’d never forgotten about Akira, the fact he felt used by his group at times. He never really realised why he’d tell such things to the man who was working against him, but he truly never got how that man’s brain worked. One minute, in the metaverse, he’s a charming show off, leading his team with skill and grace- Then as soon as they’d left, it’s almost as if he was a different person, very anxious, quiet, and almost a pushover, bending over backwards to help all of his teammates without a backbone to fall on himself.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span>As he kept sneaking around, following the thieves from a distance, he kept thinking. All the time he spent finding out the nuances of Akira’s life led him to odd conclusions. The fact that most of his confidence seemed to be fake. </span><b><em>Similarity. </em></b><span>That he was so easy to push around, would forever be in people’s debt if they helped him in any way, or even just needed someone. </span><b><em>Difference.</em></b><span> The fact that he seemed to never like talking about himself. </span><b><em>Similarity.</em></b><span> The fact they both had goals that would never be able to be fulfilled due to society forever being against trash like them. Similarity.</span> <em><span>Similarity. </span></em><b><em>Similarity after similarity after similarity-!</em></b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Spinning- the world was spinning. They could never be the same- never. If they were the same, then why would Akira be so much better than him? So much more successful? He was just criminal trash, at least Akechi was more than that, Akechi was a celebrity, a detective- But Akira was a celebrity too, and Akechi was just as much of criminal trash as Akira was.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Why did it have to play out like this? Why couldn’t they have genuinely been friends all those years before? Maybe, if that was the case, he wouldn’t feel this overwhelming guilt for being the cause of his death again. The first time didn’t hurt, the first time he knew what he was doing, the first time it was simply a matter of disconnecting the face with the boy he grew so close to. It was a job that had to be done. There was no working around it. But it felt different now that he knew he was actually dead. That now, it really was his fault. He could’ve let himself die, he could’ve stopped Akira from moving…</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But he didn’t. And that’s what was now keeping him moving through the palace. Akira wouldn’t want someone being so sappy. Akechi didn't want to dwell on it either, so, carrying on was the best choice. It was always a best choice to slowly traverse a palace, following some petty thieves. Or it would’ve been a good idea until he heard something… duller.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Have you really come back here, after what happened? You should know that Lord Shido has no need for someone who deflects him and his demands." His own voice- it wasn't his head for once, it was him. That stupid cognitive.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The voice didn’t shock him, it was obvious the thing would most likely come at him in this place, other than the thieves, other than Shido, would be himself. The puppet version of himself. What was supposed to be his final enemy of his final fight.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Shut up. You aren't me. And that bastard doesn't control my life." He shouldn’t have put so much emotion in his voice. It gave him away.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“He does though. You were a puppet to the end, you still are a puppet, aren’t you?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The tone was dull, just how he spoke to Shido. He’d always be so dull, so polite and dull- He hated it, he was being taunted by his own sarcasm and lack of care. It made him sick to think about the tone he’d put on, that subservient version of himself that he’d show to Shido he had “worth.” Pathetic. He used to be so pathetic. That’s all this cognitive was here to remind him of. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The “detective” didn’t give a response, he instead carried on moving around, going through the palace as he would, trying to figure out what the thieves were planning. Maybe, just maybe, he could thwart what they were doing and kill Shido either way. Of course, he couldn’t plot that externally, not with the cognitive following him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you going to ignore me? You know I only said that the boy’s death delayed yours. Lord Shido is still going to get rid of you, you know he will. He isn’t stupid. He knows you and those thieves are in here. He didn’t give you the option of killing them. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I </span>
  </em>
  <span>gave you that option. You should’ve taken it and made your last living da-”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Shut up.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was an immediate reaction to that bastard monologuing, maybe if he had more time to think about it, he would’ve just gone straight for the throat. Kill the thing, maybe. It wouldn’t cause harm to him, but by god would it be cathartic, he thought, I’d be able to kill myself without actually doing so. He knew he wasn’t right in the head, this just solidified it. He looked to the cognitive again; the gun. He’d pulled his gun again. Fight fire with fire, fight a gun with a gun.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Trying to kill me again? There’s no one to hopelessly throw their life away for you. You never had anyone, just false connections that gave you gratification, even Lord Shido could see that.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not “trying to kill you”- I </span>
  <b>
    <em>will </em>
  </b>
  <span>kill you, you piece of </span>
  <em>
    <span>shit</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Anger seeped into his words, threading its way into his stance and actions too. He wasn’t going to miss this time. He was going to </span>
  <em>
    <span>kill him.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A gunshot rang out. It was from the raygun. Into the stomach of the cognitive. A simple, clean bullet, followed by a yell of pain. That would alert them, but Akechi didn’t care. He couldn’t care less if they found him right now. He just wanted to kill this stupid version of himself, he couldn’t bare to listen to it’s pathetic and whiny voice anymore. He didn’t want to have to hear himself more than he already did.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You bastard-!” Pain. He was in pain. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Good. </span>
  </em>
  <span>“Lord Shido won’t forgive you for this!”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“I don’t need his forgiveness. I need his head on a GODDAMN STICK!” For his mother, he would’ve added, were this not himself. He knew that Shido thought he looked too much like his mother, but that was his issue. He never had to do what he did, but then again, without it, he wouldn’t be where he was now.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As Akechi kept trying to shoot, the cognitive kept dodging the blows after the initial one. He couldn’t land a hit, and he wasn’t summoning his person in the middle of a corridor, he was stuck with just his sword and gun. Not like he hadn’t done this before. It would be easier if it weren’t for the fact the cognitive just kept </span>
  <em>
    <span>shooting.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Every hit felt like it could kill him, he knew it wouldn’t, unless it was like what he did to Akira- but, it hurt, this burnt. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And it filled him with rage.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Enough rage, so much, that he ran, ran with his blade intent to stab straight through the cognitives throat. It wasn’t as simple as that though, the cognitive caught the blade, holding it in place, starting a battle of control over the weapon. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He’s focused on your sword. Get the gun.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Akechi could tell who that voice was, partially. Either Loki, or Robin Hood, maybe that god who gave him the access to his abilities. For once, of his own choice; He followed what they had said.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His free hand reached to the cognitives gun, as they tumbled back and forth, trying to kill each other, both blindsighted by true and proper rage. Time seemed to slow, as both the gun and sword were knocked to the ground at the same time, as Akechi’s hands found their place around the cognitives neck. He pushed him down to the floor, sitting on top of him, as he put all his strength into killing the cognitive. He could feel the claws from his outfit digging into the shadow’s fake flesh. He knew there should’ve been blood, but there was none. Just air. This wasn’t a person.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>This wasn’t a person. This wouldn’t do anything.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The rest of the world drowned out around him. He could hear shouts from somewhere, he didn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>care</span>
  </em>
  <span>. All he cared for was watching this stupid cognitive dying. All he could care about was getting that stupid grin off it’s face, listening to it’s breaths hollowing,</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I hate you. I hate you-!”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Yo- you think getting your ang- er- out on- me, w-will do anything-?” More pressure. He would either choke this thing out, or break its neck. He didn’t care which, he wanted it </span>
  <em>
    <span>dead</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Shut up- Shut up shut up shut the hell up-! You know NOTHING-!” That was a lie. They both knew that the cognitive knew things, maybe even more than Akechi knew about himself. It was Shido’s mind, afterall, he knew he could’ve found out things about his mother here.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The other him just kept laughing. Laughing and laughing through shallow breaths, laughing more and more with the extra pressure being put on his throat. Akechi meant for him to die. He wanted to at least kill a part of him that remained in someone’s mind. If this Akechi was gone, maybe, just maybe, he could actually disappear without a trace, maybe he could find some solace in knowing he could die and no one would truly care.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He could feel it. The dissolving of a shadow. He’d seen it many a time, but this one felt different. This felt fulfilling, somewhat gratifying, unlike the others that left him with a pit in his stomach...He felt like he did, back with Wakaba. He’d done something for his own sake. As he reached over to his sword, he just held his face, laughing, all he could do was laugh. He hadn’t felt this in a long time, such a long, long time, but now, finally, he felt- something. This would never help anyone but himself. He’d finally shut himself up. He’d finally shut up the version of him that his father had created- he wasn’t that stupid, lowly 15 year old anymore. So what, if this was probably his last year of being alive. He broke free from the one thing controlling his every move.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He could’ve sworn he still heard yelling though.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>------------------</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Propping himself up with his sword, he brushed off his clothes. There were a few cuts and bruises from the tumbling around with the cognitive version, noticeably some on his hands. Shouldn’t have grabbed the blade so harshly. It was fine, nothing some medicine couldn’t fix. The palace seemed easier to get through now, maybe it was adrenaline, but he had the urge to keep going, retracing his steps, to find that engine room again, find Akira’s body if it was still there- figure out what happened to him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He kept running, hiding away in the dark if he saw any shadows, he couldn’t be bothered fighting. They were weak anyways. Someone as high and mighty as Goro Akechi shouldn’t even give them the time of day, he should just look at them and glare, make them feel as worthless as he has his entire life. Maybe this was his adrenaline too. He couldn’t remember the last time he was so full of himself. This was welcome, though, he’d rather feel like this than feeling like a doormat for corrupt adults to shove their jobs and issues onto, a child hitman who never felt as if he had a place. A problem child who caused his mother's death.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Everything was going okay. He’d forgotten about the big flaw in his plan though.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He was wandering aimlessly for a while, trying to figure out the best way to get rid of Shido for good. He knew the thieves would be blamed for his death if he died, it’d be Okumura all over again, except this time they wouldn’t have an alibi to hide behind. All possibilities of that were gone. Doing that could possibly give him a chance to claim more fame, and make a name for himself outside of Shido’s manipulation but- it was unlikely. The manipulation would probably continue, be</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Queen-! The signal’s coming from over there!” It was a girl’s voice. He could hear it vaguely. It was familiar, too.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you think it could be Joker-!?” A boy, this time. Gruff- not fully matured, but still deep- no.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The thieves had found him. They thought he was their leader- and now they’re going to exact revenge. Of course, Akira’s death only delayed his. It’s not like he was supposed to live, maybe his mind was playing tricks on him? It could be that the stampede of footsteps he heard coming up to him was just in his head. The shouting too, it wasn’t them, even if they were yelling Joker, they couldn’t be that stupid to mistake him for their dead leader. Maybe, if he could just </span>
  <em>
    <span>hide-</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Too late. He heard another yell from the girl, it was Futaba, he’d finally put a face to the voice he was hearing. Her voice was shrill, almost as if she’d been surprised by something she thought was gone forever. Not shocking, Akira was her brother, to think he was still alive must’ve been nice for the few short minutes it lasted.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“JOKE-...er…-” There it was, the drop in her voice as she saw who the signal was actually coming from. The rest of the group were behind her, almost as if she’d taken lead. Maybe it was just for this little expedition of trying to find a dead man. He stood there as he watched Makoto come closer to him. She had her sister's attitude, cold and calculating.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Akechi.”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Makoto.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you doing here? What business do you even have here-?” She seemed choked up. Maybe she was more upset over Akira’s fate than she let on. It’s not like she’d show it, once again, like her sister, letting her emotions bubble. She still really was that “Good girl pushover”.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I could ask the same to you. Are you looking for your leader?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>God, he hated acting proper. Even if the thieves had seen him at a breaking point, he’d rather not act like that around them. He couldn’t be bothered with a fight, either. As long as they’d leave him alone, all of them would be on their merry way, no more “Detective VS Thieves”, simply two different parties with differing views and opinions. He didn’t want to deal with them anymore, and he was pretty sure they wouldn’t want an extra annoyance alongside taking down his father. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The response he got, however, wasn’t from Makoto. It was from Ryuji. He could partially agree with Morgana when he would complain about how annoying Ryuji could get.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t give us your weird ass responses you asshole-! You’re the reason he’s gone-!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I know that, and I know how much you all hate me for “causing his death”. You haven’t removed me from the chat.” Disgust grew amongst the thieves. They knew he was right, but they still hated it, they hated how smug he got when he was. At least it was back to Makoto debating with him, she could hold a conversation that didn’t end in mindless insults. She held her hand out in front of the blond haired boy.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Skull, don’t rise to him. There’s no use. Yes, we were trying to see if Joker was still alive. Now, will you answer my question, or will you run off like last time?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“The same reason I was here before. You should be gra-”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“I’m not gonna be grateful to someone who killed my brother-! Y-you knew he cared about you too- this is the second time-!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He had made Futaba upset. Not that it was the first time he’d done that either. He’d killed her mother, after all. Albeit, he had fair reason to do that. The amount of testing he went through for her goddamned research. She was a terrible person in Akechi’s mind, just another face in the crowd of people who hurt him. Not like anyone really cared though, even Akira didn’t care for that. Just like how he didn’t care that he’d made Futaba upset. Served her right… It didn’t. He was trying to convince himself internally she deserved this, but he knew only one who deserved any harm was him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I didn’t kill him, you know, he was the one who sacr-”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“I don’t wanna hear it! Stop it-!” Her hands raised up to her ears, covering them, as if there was a loud explosion. Akechi knew what he was saying was wrong, but they wouldn’t listen, even if he did tell them the truth.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m only telling you all the truth. But, it’s unlikely that any of you would actually wish to hear the truth. I don’t believe he is alive, and I apologise for being the reason he’s now dead, according to you all. But, hypothetically, couldn’t you have stepped in? Or did you all much rather wish to see me die?”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>He knew he was being horrible, he wanted to make them feel worse. Two could play at the game they were playing. He could see how disgusted they were, he could see how much he’d gotten under their skin, he loved it. Even if it felt wrong, there was some joy to be found watching them hate him more. If they hated him, then once again, less chance of people remembering him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Akechi, you don’t know anything-! H-he could be alive-! You’d h-have no faith in that though, because you’re just nasty-! A low level villain-!” A new thing to record about Futaba, she fell into game speak when she was upset. Not shocking, but good to know. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Akechi. We have separate objectives. Either you leave, or we force you to leave. We aren’t letting you harm anymore of our team.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He pondered. Was it worth leaving? It’s not like it hindered him…</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine then. Just know, the cognitive won’t bother you for a while. Just know I still intend to carry out my plan….</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>...</span>
  <b>And none of you, will get in my way.”</b>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>why. are my chapters getting longer!!!! this is funny though. enjoy a very long boy. also the title.... the title. bullshited that one babes! this fic is prolly gonna get a lot longer than orgininally planned, but follow me on twitter (@yamarugii) for chapter updates and also like beta things for the fic. aka the old ending. once I get past the new stuff I will explain that</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Am i under control? Can I beat it?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Once again, a memory. The jazz club was nice, but last time he checked, shouldn't be haunted by ghosts of his past.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>“...And none of you will get in my way.”</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There wasn’t supposed to be anger in his voice, but when these incompetent fools had ruined his plans, not once, but twice? He didn’t have much sympathy about how nasty he sounded.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Akechi that isn’t part of this pla-”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Shut up-! Just, shut up, for once in your LIFE Makoto! You have a worse issue with that than your damn sister-!” He had never liked talking badly of Sae. He didn’t know why he was starting now. “You don’t get why maybe someone would deserve death! You don’t understand what would happen if this man was left to simply rot in a jail cell- you don’t understand what pain he’s caused-!”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Yes we do! Joker tol-”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Told you what, huh-?! That he had been oh so wrongfully arrested-? He told me that too, you aren’t special-! None of you are damn special-!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t know why he was insulting them, either. Today was a day of “Things he never thought he’d do again”. He knew that these friends of his clearly knew more about Akira than him, they were his dearest friends, his teammates- something he’d never have. Something that no matter how much he said he never wanted- he knew he did, deep down. Somewhere buried in his heart. Maybe it was with that part of him that didn’t want to kill him, too, maybe it was with the part of him that truly did want to accept all those offers he gave him, all those “Can I?”’s that he’d never hear again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Akechi, stop it! We don’t need to go through this argument again! We know you don’t even mean that-!” She was sharp. Just like her sister. Maybe his previous deduction wasn’t all too wrong, “We’ll complete our goal, and you complete yours. You don’t want to forgive us, even though we’ve done nothing, and we don’t want to forgive you. If we stay out of each other's way, the problem is solved”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Even though we’ve done nothing.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He knew they’d treat him like a villain, but in such an obviously manipulative way. If it weren’t for the fact he was used to such treatment, he’d probably snap back at them. But, seeing as he was used to manipulation, he let it pass.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“If that’s how you see it, I guess that’s how it is. Always has been that way with you thieves, hasn’t it?” He snarled, he needed to at least express something. He wasn’t letting her walk all over him</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s that supposed to mean-?” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Exactly as it sounds. You’re always “on the side of justice”. That’s how you’ve always thought. So high and mighty. Did you even consider helping your “friends”? Helping any of your team through the losses they went through? I’m quite sure poor Haru over there would’ve liked some support with her father.” He knew he was about to strike a nerve. He was prepared to hurt them. He was prepared to die. “Or maybe helping Futaba learn the truth, help her through realising her mother was so cruelly mur-”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Shut the eff up man-! No one came here to hear your stupid high n’ mighty bullshit-! Of course we gave a shit ‘bout em! Y-you just never saw any of it-!” Ryuji, the muscles of the team. Hm, he sounded like he was going to cry. “You didn’t care ‘bout him! You just wanted to further your damn agenda of being noticed and appreciated by your shithead father-!”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Skull- Skull, that’s enough. We don’t need anymore fights. Goro Akechi, I swear, if you get in our way again, it won’t be as polite as this. We won’t tolerate you coming in and trying to argue with us over things that were your fault.” Makoto was clearly annoyed, she could never hide that well, once again, just like her sister, but that was the pushing point. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The “detective prince” waved a hand as he turned on his heel, leaving them with only a simple gesture instead of words. There was no point wasting his breath on them, he didn’t particularly care how upset they were. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Liar</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He knew he cared, he cared more than he’d like to admit, but he knew that it was the sort of care you give to someone when you’re close to a mutual friend. The sort of care where if something terrible were to happen to them, you wouldn’t feel right to comfort them, but would send your condolences. The sort of person that, if you’d heard they had somehow come to an unfortunate end, you’d attend the funeral, but not the wake.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Leaving the palace was as easy as entering, the halls didn’t go on for as long as they used to, it almost felt as if he’d never even entered the place, and instead stayed around the entrance for a few hours, discussing trivial issues with the cognitive passengers of his father’s cruise ship of hell. These were </span>
  <em>
    <span>real people that his father knew.</span>
  </em>
  <span> No wonder they got along, they were all stuck up pricks, disgusting people who’d use others as rungs on a ladder to climb to the top. Not like Akechi could say anything, he did the exact same, he used so many people to climb that ladder. Shido was to be the last rung he climbed, maybe then, he could feel the euphoria of being on the top of the world.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>At the edge of the ship, overlooking the false horizon of a falling city, he paused. He may never actually get to see something like this in the real world, it isn’t like he’s ever had the money to do something like this, go on a cruise, see the sun set or rise- he was always awake when it happened, but he never seemed to catch the “perfect sunset” or “beautiful sunrise” the media talked about. It always seemed extremely bleak, as if it was just some fabricated occurrence. Not surprising, everything was fake in the world of profit and media. Enough of that though, he thought, pulling out his phone. There was nothing left to do here, just to leave. It didn’t matter if he was here, or if he was alive. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He wanted to have a last trip to somewhere he loved before he met his assumed death. That was his reasoning for leaving the palace.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The concrete streets that surrounded the diet building felt unnatural, maybe it was due to him running over so much carpet and rug though. His clothes felt unnatural too, he oddly missed his metaverse outfits, they were the most expensive things he’d ever owned, and even if he had some marks on his legs left from the belts that were all over the blackmask outfit? He didn’t particularly care. It was the only thing that filled his mind as he walked to the subway station though. He’d never properly had control over something, so the concept of how much control this power gave him felt unnatural. The fact he could genuinely go wherever he wanted on his final nights…</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yet he chose somewhere he went all the time. Kichijoji. The jazz club, in particular.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He truly did love this place, and he got along well with the man that owned it. Muhen, he was sweet, never too prying on why a teenager, let alone a teenage celebrity constantly visited a small, off the road jazz club. Most likely business formalities, but it felt nice to have a place where he could just relax. He didn’t do work here, unlike how he used to in Le Blanc, this was just somewhere he’d come to relax, to sink into a crowd, to feel part of a group, instead of being alone.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Usual drink today? Or are you trying the speciality of the day?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll just have what I normally have, thank you”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Masks, he still put up masks. Not surprising, but sad, seeing as this was the place he viewed as home. The place he could feel comfortable. As he took his normal seat, he looked around the entire club. There was a singer tonight, how lovely. Just like then, too- With Akira. There was the same lady here; why wouldn’t he stop thinking of him? Why was the thought of some dead boy forever on his mind? It was really stupid, but it kept occupying his mind. The fact they came here together, the fact they listened to the music together…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-----------------</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“But I’m underage, detective” A small laugh escaped the raven’s mouth as he spoke</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Don’t worry, they don’t serve alcohol to students, don’t get any ideas, Kurusu”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Their shared laughter as they walked into the club made the experience even more homely, the warmth of the dimly lit room almost made it feel like another dimension, another realm they’d both stepped in. Of course, nothing like the metaverse…somewhere a lot happier than the metaverse for this place. A home, a home most people never got to experience. Akira wouldn’t know this, but Akechi? He had already told Muhen he was planning to try bring someone else tonight, a...friend. He called him a friend when he came in the previous night. They already had a table to sit and listen to the music at, it was truly lovely to share this with someone, even if he didn’t think he’d bring someone here.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“..So- do you come here often?” He sounded as if he was walking on metaphorical eggshells, it was almost as if Akechi scared him.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I do, I’ve never brought someone with me though. Are there any soft drinks you specifically don’t like? I don’t want to get you something you’ll despise.” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Not particularly, I think I’d love what you order me, Akechi” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>There was a small silence between them before Akechi raised his hand to order the drinks. He didn’t fancy dealing with Akira’s trashy flirting whilst they were trying to relax, he wanted a friend, not another fan trying to get into his pants, he already had enough issue with women falling head over heels, he didn’t need a guy doing it too. Akira wasn’t even like that- right? He was just a friend, and what he said came off weirdly. The flush on Akechi’s face was just because it was warm in here, no other reason. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-----------------</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>The sound of drinks being placed on the table seemed to snap Akira back into reality, as he saw Akechi return. Of course, the detective prince prided himself for grabbing the boys attention, but he knew it was more likely that it was the thought in his head of a free drink, and a free night out. That was fine though, maybe they could enjoy a debate afterwards, when they were outside, in the cold, maybe ending with a- No! No- he thought, he’s letting his mind wander. He can’t do that.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Akechi? Are you alright? You seemed spaced” Great. Akira noticed.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m alright, no need to worry. Let us just enjoy the music, yes?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Aww, alright. Enjoy your drink, detective”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Why was he so nice to him? And why did he have to make it so awkward? “Enjoy your drink, Detective”, who did he think he was? Akira was just an acquaintance, Akechi needed to stop overthinking everything that he said. The comment might’ve just been a joke, a weird joke, but a joke, nothing more, and nothing less. That would’ve been what it was if it weren’t for the boys chuckling.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“What are you laughing at, Kurusu? I don’t think theres anything particularly funny-” His about-to-be monologue of how Akira shouldn’t be laughing in here, was stopped by a small point towards Akechi’s hands, and by extension, his drink</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>
      <br/>
    </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>
      <br/>
    </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>“You hold the straw when you drink. It’s funny”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He looked down. The boy was right, he did hold his straw when he drank- it must’ve been subconscious, he didn’t remember specifically doing that. He also didn’t understand why it was something Akira would pick up on. Was he focusing on him that much? Weird. Maybe his previous deduction of him flirting wasn’t wrong. Really really odd though. He waved his hand as he spoke, letting his voice get no louder than a whisper</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Akira, be quiet, it isn’t funny, people are going to think you’re laughing at the singer. Although- I guess no one can hear us..”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>A smile spread across the other boy’s face as he drank more. He seemed to be enjoying himself, even if those glasses were fake, and were supposed to deter people from guessing how he felt, it was easy to tell that he was happy, no matter the cover, no matter the dimly lit room, it was a happiness you could easily just sense. It was a happiness Akechi hadn’t felt for years.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Exactly! But- the music in here is amazing, you have great taste-!”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Great taste”? That was a new one. Normally, if people heard Akechi enjoyed this, they’d either laugh at him, or straight out ignore him. He could easily pinpoint why he started to enjoy it though, his mother loved it. There’d always be some CD playing in the house- well, the same CD, just different tracks. Their small CD player was the only thing that seemed to cheer them both up easily. If only something so small made her happy enough to stay around.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Well… thank you. This place is always extremely relaxing for me, having to put up a front all day every day for the media is tiring, but I can unwind here. Do you have a place similar to that?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“A small cafe with amaaazing coffee.” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Akechi half didn’t expect an answer, but especially not an answer like that, one that was so- honest? Over-confident? Something along those lines. It did pique his interest in finding out more about this “Small cafe”.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Where is it? Is it an expensive cafe?” That was simple enough- right? Not too demanding, not too suspicious, just a simple question. But, it seemed to make Akira smile/</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Well- it’s in the backstreets of Yongen-Jaya. I live there, actually- does that make me biased?” His voice went meek as he laughed, Akechi could really never get his head around the fact of how happy Akira could be. Is this what happens when you repress your emotions? He couldn’t tell.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Well...It does make you slightly biased, but I think that’s fair enough to say it’s your favourite place, and it obviously would feel like home. Why are you staying there, anyways? Have you lived there your entire life?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He didn’t actually expect a response to that, nor one that emotional. He struck a nerve, that’s...a good thing? He sighed, before making a vague gesture with his hand, trying to signal Akira to keep talking. He could easily see that he was nervous, seeing as he was fiddling. Fiddling with his hair, or something, in his hair. A bobby pin? It looked like one. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m on probation. That’s why I’m staying there- although, I don’t think I’d really mind if I did live there my entire life. It’s nice!” His bounceback was almost as shocking as the initial reaction. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Probation? What do you mean, Akira? You don’t strike me as the criminal type- Perhaps was it something you didn’t particularly do?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>The silence for those few seconds was painful. Of course, Akechi didn’t particularly care for hitting a sore spot. He didn’t particularly care for Akira as a person. He didn’t care for anyone- right? It was impossible. He was unlovable, so he couldn’t love anyone else either, no matter how much he craved or wanted someone’s attention, it’d never be fulfilling or make him feel wanted. That’s the entire reason he turned to Shido in the first place! To feel wanted without the other person particularly wanting an emotional connection!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>But the one thing he didn’t expect, was an answer. An answer he knew all too well. An answer that hit so close to home, it-</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-Snapped him from his memories. Snapped him out of his thoughts and worries. Akira was gone now, he didn’t need to go over everything they’d said together in this club, he just needed to unwind and relax himself. Akira wasn’t here. Akira never mattered to him. He just deluded himself into thinking he loved him, right? There was no way he could’ve ever loved him. Akira was so far beneath him, to expect him to </span>
  <b>love</b>
  <span> Akechi, was a long shot. Admire him, lust over him maybe, but Akira would never love someone like that.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As he picked up his drink, he placed his other hand down on his lap, making sure he couldn’t grab the straw.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t want to fall into something that </span>
  <em>
    <span>he </span>
  </em>
  <span>found funny, or found cute. Or- anything, for that matter. A familiar voice was close by, speaking to him</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you alright?” It was Muhen. Someone who acted more like a parental figure than anyone in Akechi’s life.</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Perfectly fine, I’m just soaking in the atmosphere as normal. Thank you for asking.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Would you like another drink?”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“...Yes, please, if it isn’t a hassle.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>hrghghghghghburger durgin thank you for 1000+ hits! thats all im sad</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. 3 voices come all alone</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Did he know what time it was when he finally left the Jazz club? No, not really. But he didn’t particularly care either, it was just one more way to try and wind down.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Did he know what time it was when he finally left the Jazz club? No, not really. But he didn’t particularly care either, it was just one more way to try and wind down. Nor did he know what time he went to sleep that night, it was late, obviously, there was a distinct nightly chill as he entered his apartment. That was all he really remembered before he crashed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And surely, it wouldn’t be the last thing he remembered from this night either, with where he woke up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The room was a distinct royal blue, a haze that felt like mist surrounding it. As Akechi sat up, he felt the familiar feeling of being trapped. He always felt like that in here; his legs were strapped to the base of the seat, rendering him unable to move as the other man sat just across from him, like the studio he always had interviews shot at. He was in for a long night. Maybe not for the reasons he thought, but- it was going to be a very, very long night.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a false audience surrounding all the room, chittering away as he sat in the spotlight. He couldn’t make out any of their faces, they all seemed to change constantly, everytime he focused on one, the others around it morphed and swirled, becoming unrecognizable. Just like the faces of his fans, or the faces in the crowd, or of the men who asked him to complete the tasks he did under Shido- They all just fused into one. If it weren’t for the voice calling out to him, he could’ve left reality there and then, staring at the ever changing faces, however, he needed to listen.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I see that you still didn’t make any significant bonds with others, and that has now caused the early death of the trickster.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>No matter how much Akechi wanted to speak, he couldn’t. He always felt like there was something- or someone, repressing his voice, even if he tried, it’d barely be a whisper, a pathetic, whiny whisper. The sort of thing he’d hate for anyone else to hear, the sort of voice that would brand him weak, pathetic, easy to use and manipulate. A waste. Just some little puppet- maybe Shido was right.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is this how you wish to proceed? Forming no bonds is going to lead to an early ruin. The loss of the trickster has already set it in motion. The only person you formed a bond with.” Igor paused, disappointment sewn into every word. “Although, my talking won’t change your mind so late into the course of fate. I do hope you change your mind on all of this. Your waking comes soon, rest well.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>God, how he wished Igor was right then. How he wished he never had to deal with what he had to deal with next. It wasn't anything he ever wanted to deal with again. But the truth of the matter? He wouldn’t be waking up anytime soon.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As he regained his vision, he thought he had woken up, his bed felt the same, he was wearing the same clothes, it was a normal time for him to wake up; or not. He tried to look over to his clock, only to see the time changing over and over, swirling like the sea. As he pushed himself out of bed, he noticed more of these odd changes, like how his apartment felt warm, homely, how he could smell the scents of Le Blanc in his own home. An investigation was needed. This wasn’t right, Le Blanc shouldn’t be in his own home. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As he exited his room, the scent just got stronger, along with the feeling that something was wrong. He didn't feel alone. He felt like someone was watching him, and he wasn't completely wrong.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Goro?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The voice was far away, and somewhat garbled, but he could tell that accent from anywhere. Akira- Akira was dead! Why was he in his apartment? Why was he calling him by his first name? Why was the coffee shop he lived in invading said apartment? He slowly made his way out of his room, to finally see the face behind the voice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Akira, everything was normal, the smile on his face, everything should've been normal- yet it wasn't. His smile felt fake, his eyes were glassy- yet Akechi couldn't get his mind off of Akira being there in front of him- he was back! It was like those stupid dreams and wishes he had been pushing away had come true- wait-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Why was he happy about this? Why did he feel pulled to go try speak to Akira? He hated him! He wanted to watch him die over and over! He wanted him to just disappear from everyone’s minds! Watch as everyone simply goes on with their lives, seeing as there was no more phantom thieves, and no one to get in his way.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Goro? Is something the matter? I made you coffee and curry!" His voice sounded clearer now- it was soft, gentle, as if he was addressing a lover. "I don't want it to get cold, you know-!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>What even was this? As he slowly went over to "Akira", he looked him up and down. Everything seemed the same. Height, eye colour, hair colour, posture, the way he spoke- all of it! Why was he here? He couldn't even figure it out himself! He held out a hand, trying to touch the others shoulder, being genuinely shocked when he made contact with it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Are you alright? You seem really out of it today…"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I'm fine." His voice came out sharper than it should've, he didn't particularly mean to shout.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Ah- okay! Just enjoy your coffee and curry, okay?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Akira I-" He stopped himself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Akechi </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew</span>
  </em>
  <span> something wasn't right, this shouldn't happen. Akira shouldn't be in his home, Akira shouldn't be making him breakfast and coffee and reeking the place with the scent of some chemically created microwave meal curry. Akira shouldn't exist here anymore. Akira was dead.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Akira was dead.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Akira. Was. Dead.</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Somehow, that thought changed everything. He could feel the ground beneath him twist and turn, churning his stomach as he fell into a black, inky void of sludge. He could vaguely see light in the distance, yet, as he tried to move to approach it, he could feel himself falling again. He kept falling and falling until he felt himself hit the ground. Cold, hard pavement. As he looked up, there was a hand extended to him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Care to walk with me?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Akira. Again. He's not supposed to be here, nor is he supposed to be nice to Akechi, he isn't supposed to haunt his dreams like this. For some ungodly reason though, Akechi took his hand, letting himself be pulled to his feet. Let himself be </span>
  <em>
    <span>helped by a dead man. </span>
  </em>
  <span>He tried to reply to Akira, tried to yell at him, tried to tell him to stop following him, but his voice failed him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"It's okay if you can't respond. I just wanted to talk to you again. My thieves, they're really something, aren't they?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>His thieves. HIS thieves.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"They truly don't give up. Neither do you though- maybe that's why you would've fit amongst us. You know you wanted to join us, you told me, remember?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Akechi could feel his blood boil, he wanted to smash this Akira's face into the ground, he didn't need to be reminded of his misdeeds by some false spirit of a dead man, he didn’t need to be reminded of the lies he spread throughout the population just so he could get closer to him, he didn’t need to be reminded of all those plans he was forced to go through with, all the times he considered “maybe I shouldn’t kill him” or “maybe we can find some other way to do this”. He just wanted to be rid of Akira from his memory. He wanted to forget all those times where he nearly followed through with the “Can I’s” and “Would you like me to?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Akechi, let me ask you this...was it your fault?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Of course it was- It had to be! Why else would he be dead now if it wasn’t his fault? Why would his plan have failed if it wasn’t his fault? Why was this stupid husk of Akira reminding him of everything he’d done wrong in his life? Why did this happen? As if he willed it into existence- he found his voice again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shut up, you falsified version of him” Of course- he came off as aggressive. Like always. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He could see Akira’s face sink, even if this was just his subconscious tricking him into thinking Akira would’ve ever cared for him, he could see how much he’d upset him by saying that. He looked like a sad puppy, begging it’s owner to give them some form of attention, or to cure it’s boredom and small attention span. He couldn’t tell if he felt bad, or if he was simply just annoyed at how Akira was acting- how he </span>
  <em>
    <span>imagined</span>
  </em>
  <span> Akira would act in this situation. How he’d imagine Akira reacting to him telling him to shut up, to stop acting like someone he isn’t, to just- be quiet. Stop being him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Akechi- no, Goro-...You know you’re denying yourself, right? We both know that. You always denied your feelings"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I said be quiet. I have nothing to say to you, Kurusu. You aren’t even real, so what should I say to a fake?”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“The same you’d say to yourself everyday?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Who in the </span>
  <em>
    <span>world</span>
  </em>
  <span> did he think he was? First imitating a dead man, and now making comments on how Akechi acted? Once again, he could feel his blood boiling, the anger seeping into his mind, the want to destroy this stupid dream, the want to leave and never be found, forget about Akira, forget about Shido, forget about the thieves, forget about it all, just become some new person with a fake name, fake appearance, just not </span>
  <em>
    <span>this-</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Akechi, you know what you’re doing.” The voice was changing. The scene was changing again. This wasn’t Akira anymore. “You know you’re still a puppet, don’t you? A puppet to everyone in your life? Don’t you want to change this? Don’t you want to finally show them what you really are? Show them how </span>
  <em>
    <span>terrifying</span>
  </em>
  <span> you truly are?” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Loki. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The room was dark now, Akechi was in the centre of some dark, never ending abyss, with a spotlight on him. No sights to see, only a voice calling out to him. There was no audience now, no pathetic whispers, no noise other than his own erratic breathing, and the booming words coming from inside of himself. From his persona. From Loki.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know that nothing will change unless you act, Akechi. You’ve known that for a very long time now. You were </span>
  <em>
    <span>gifted</span>
  </em>
  <span> with your powers. You’re a wildcard. You’re better than him. Prove yourself. Prove yourself to all those who think you’re nothing more than a pushover!” The voice got louder, more commanding, “Show them how damn terrifying you can be when you’re angry! Show them how far you’re willing to go to finally prove yourself as something more than the government's personal plaything!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He would have responded. He wanted to respond. He wanted to agree. But as soon as he opened his mouth, he felt the floor give way, as he fell, further and further and further until he hit something that should’ve been softer than it was. And as soon as he hit it, he woke up with a jolt, sitting up once again, feeling the cool winters air flowing in from his window. An almost practiced reaction, his head turned to his clock.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>3:28AM</b>
</p><p>
  <span>Hadn’t this happened before? It felt too familiar. Too- right. A dream about Akira, and then waking up in the middle of the night. He’d barely gotten sleep anyways, it was so late when he got back in- and now, it was 3am, and he wouldn’t be able to get back to sleep. How perfect. His thoughts raced around his head as he tried to look around. It was freezing cold, uncomfortably so, like someone had died in here. Maybe someone had, it wasn’t like anyone would’ve cared. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The pillows felt like rocks as he tried to get back to sleep, something so weird and rare he’d never normally try. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Why won’t he get out of my head? Why is he invading all my thoughts? He’s dead! He’s going to stay dead! No matter how much I want him back, he’s dead. </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>Dead. He’s dead.</em>
  </b>
  <span> It was horrible, he couldn’t figure out why he couldn’t get some trash out of his mind, why he couldn’t stop thinking about his sworn rival. Not even that. The one person who he lied to the most.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After what felt like hours of unsuccessful attempts to get back to sleep, Akechi forced himself to sit up again. To face the deathly cold in his room again. There was no point checking the clock, he didn’t need to be reminded of his horrid sleep schedule, all he needed to do was get ready for the day, a day of work, and calls from his father. Hopefully his (stolen) cognitive research didn’t follow through to knowing people had been inside of his palace. To hoping for some form of future, even if he was destined to die within a few weeks.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>-----------------------</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He knew the day would be boring, but not like this. He really wished that he’d listened to himself in that dream, maybe to stop letting himself be dragged around like a dog on a leash, or being thrown around like a doll no one wanted anymore. But, those were simply just thoughts, and thoughts he had to keep internalised as he worked away at whatever case he’d caused this time, the words of his cognitive ringing in his head. The fact he was going to die in a few weeks. </span>
  <em>
    <span>The fact he’d killed the only person who could’ve possibly saved him from this fate.</span>
  </em>
  <span> He was just a lamb to his father’s slaughter now, being his puppet till the day he died.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Or, that was his general consensus, anyways. His walk to the subway station would shatter that.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eyes were glued to him as he walked through the central street of Shibuya, something normal of course, he was a “celebrity”, a “teenage detective prince”. Not like he didn’t steal that title from someone else, someone who truly was a detective, not someone who just caused issues to solve them to feel needed by the masses, to fulfil </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span> in his mind. Maybe the lack of positive reinforcement, maybe the lack of love. But it didn’t feel honest, none of it ever would. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Trying to focus on the cold is easy when everyone else is too, focusing on your steps is easy when everyone isn’t stopping in place. It’s easier when everyone isn’t staring up at the screens atop all the buildings, the ones stuck to the sides of stores and offices. When there isn’t a booming voice coming from all around, saying words you never thought you’d hear.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Yo, what is UP everybody?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“We are the ones you call…”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“The phantom thieves.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>
      <br/>
    </em>
  </b>
  <b>
    <em>
      <br/>
    </em>
  </b>
  <b>
    <em>
      <br/>
      <br/>
    </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>SORRY FOR 1. SHORT ISH CHAPTER, 2. SLOW UPDATES. SCHOOL BEAT MY ASS BACKWARDS. anyways! I can safely say, THE PLOT IS REALLY KICKING UP NOW FELLAS! I hope you're all ready for what's in store because holy mother of god I feel so bad for anyone who's had to listen to me explain the plot of this-</p><p>thanks fuckos!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. One goal failed, five more unfinished</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Akechi could feel his heart stop- this had to be fake, they couldn’t be doing something as dumb as this. They’d even admitted their leader was dead. They knew the truth and decided to broadcast it to everyone, broadcast their existence to hopefully just Shibuya, right? This was just some fan group trying to get a rise out of the general public again, </p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>TW for drowning and suicide mentions! be safe gamers. ily</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    <em>“We are the ones you call the Phantom Thieves.”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“The rumours about our leader may be true, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t still alive ‘n kickin’!”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Akechi could feel his heart stop- this had to be fake, they couldn’t be doing something as dumb as this. They’d even admitted their leader was dead. They knew the truth and decided to broadcast it to everyone, broadcast their existence to hopefully just Shibuya, right? This was just some fan group trying to get a rise out of the general public again, </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“We’re here today to give you a special announcement! All those effin’ assholes behind the scenes have been feeding you lies and manipulating the media to paint us as the bad guys!”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Stop! Stop stop STOP! The detective prince grabbed at his arm, trying to calm himself, they’re risking everything with this. Is this a calling card? It can’t be, there’s no way. He knew exactly whose voice was who’s too, he could hear it through whatever weird voice filters they were using. He could tell even if everyone else was focused on the weird cat like mascot that was bouncing around the screen. Morgana based. Probably designed by Futaba. He guessed some of that research on the thieves and everyone close to Akira helped a little bit.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span> “So, before we appropriate our next target, we would like to first burrow your time! The recent scandals of public figures, the accidents caused by psychotic breakdowns and mental shutdowns -- These weren't caused by unknown reasons. One man is behind every single instance...simply to satiate his own greed!”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>No.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>NO!</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Akechi started to run, they were going to announce his name- everyone would know, he needed to get out of here, he needed to have his death date come up quicker and quicker. He had to hide, if they were to say his name, everything would be ruined, Shido would be ruined, he’d be ruined- Shido would take it out on him- surely, it’d be a fate worse than death if it came to that. Years of being his puppet again, maybe being tossed to some other high up, one that used more serious punishment for failure. He'd been through worse.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Running. He kept trying to run, feeling his breath grow short, the burning sensation of a lack of air filling his lungs, yet no matter how far he ran, there was just crowds, crowds and crowds of people staring up at the screens, listening into the distorted voices of the thieves, listening into their message of the crimes committed under their name. His crimes, committed under their name.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span> “That man was afraid his crimes would be exposed and shifted the blame on us. He even manipulated the police for that. We only steal the hearts of criminals. But this asshole tried to dump what he did on us. That just shows he doesn't care about the victims at all! The identity of that cowardly man is-”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was a pause. A glitch. The normal reporter- he was back! Akechi felt the rocks being lifted off his shoulders; he could keep running, get home, and never be caught. They would never announce his name. For once, the police did </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span> damn useful in this rotten hell hole of a country. Everything seemed to slow during those few seconds of the calling card being taken off the screens, a few seconds of bliss before he heard them start up again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“The man behind it all is a current cabinet member of all things. The Minister of State for Special Missions...Masayoshi Shido! Everything that guy says is a lie!”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Masayoshi Shido. His heart came to a stop, just for a second, before the reality of the situation kicked in. He hadn’t done his job. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He hadn’t stopped the thieves, and now he’d pay for it with his life.</span>
  </em>
  <span> The cognitive was right- this only delayed his death. His chest was tightening, and his breathing was becoming erratic. Goro Akechi was panicking. No matter how much he wanted to deny it, he was panicking, and sure as hell it was being noticed by onlookers and passersby. A woman looked like she was trying to come over, he just tried to make a general hand gesture, waving her away. A celebrity didn’t need help. A </span>
  <em>
    <span>murderer</span>
  </em>
  <span> didn’t need help.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It didn’t help that he could tell who was talking, it didn’t help that even if their voices were all jumbled and glitched, that they were still just the same teenagers. Some stupid teenagers with a bloated sense of self justice. Maybe they weren’t so different. Maybe, really, he was the same as Akira. He didn’t particularly care to mull over details though, not with how the thieves kept going on and on, broadcasting themselves to the public.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“They thought taking down our esteemed leader would put us down permanently.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Yusuke. The calm demeanor didn’t disappear with a voice filter on it. Neither did the eccentricness of his voice.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“But they were wroooooong! About ten levels of wrong! And we’re gonna prove it, by changing his heart! Isn’t that right, team?” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Futaba. No one else on the team spoke in terms of levels. No one else in the team had that childish of a voice. He still felt guilt for what he put her through.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A small chorus of “Yeah!” rung on the video, before it glitched, self destructing and letting the broadcasts return to their original shows. Back to the news reports, back to them talking about “The phantom thieves’ leader’s suicide”. God, only if they knew the truth, that </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> suidicde was fake, but when you took all the facts into account, he technically still did kill himself. He did what Akechi was too terrified to do. Once again, another way where some useless trash outdid Akechi. Another way he was better than him. Another goddamn way he’d won, and this time, at the cost of his life. He told him not to hold back though, so possibly, this was his fault. He could’ve saved him. He could’ve done oh so much. But there was something in his soul that was stopping him from wishing to do </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything</span>
  </em>
  <span> for that piece of shit.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>All he could really focus on now, was trying to get home as unnoticed as someone who’d almost just had a panic attack could. No, not someone, a celebrity, who’d almost just had a panic attack, a celebrity who was about to be bombarded with calls from his puppeteers telling him to sort out his mistakes. Berating him for not following through with his plan to arrest (To kill) all the other thieves, for forgetting that he has deadlines for all these mental shutdowns he’d cause, for forgetting everything he’d learnt about letting a target run free. The scars he had  told the story of why that was a bad idea.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-------------------</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was hard to sneak home that time. Really hard. He looked like shit, and when anyone asked him if he was okay, he sounded like shit. Luckily, due to that, no one noticed who he was. Or maybe it was the hoodie. Probably that. It’s not like it mattered, the amount of missed calls and texts on his phone proved that his time on this plane of existence was coming to it’s well deserved end. He didn’t want to be here, and no one else wanted him here. He just wanted to sink into the thoughts of ending it all prematurely, ending it before even checking his phone, ending it now. Yet, there was something stopping him this time, something that dragged him into moving his hand to pull his phone out.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>4 Missed calls from Shido.</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>7 Messages from Shido.</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Just great-” He hissed to himself, before swiping open his phone. He didn’t particularly care for whatever Shido wanted this time, he knew it’d be something to do with the goddammned thieves, and their stupid calling card. It makes sense he’d have an issue with being called a liar to the entire of Tokyo, who's just been targeted publicly by the largest vigilante group, when they knew that he was probably their only target who knew exactly what he could do. Who clearly knew that the thieves weren’t joking around, and that he could be their next and final victim. It led him to wonder; Would they have really disbanded if he hadn’t “killed” Akira? It was a topic of the past though. More important things were going on, such as having to check through all these messages.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>|Shido| Akechi, pick up your phone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>|Shido| This is important. I don’t care if you’re “busy”.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>|Shido| Pick. Up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>|Shido| Goro Akechi, do I need to send someone to your apartment?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>|Shido| Pick up your damn phone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>|Shido| Did you at least see what the hell happened?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>|Shido| Pick. Up. Your. Phone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span> He already knew what he was in for, a lot of yelling, a lot of “You’ve done wrong”, but there was a small part of him that thought maybe, just maybe, he’d be let off the hook for this one. He pressed the call button, and waited for Shido to pick up.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Akechi.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Good eveni-” He was cut off before he could even speak</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Don’t give me that bullcrap. I thought you said you’d dealt with the thieves”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, Sir, I-”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“No more of your goddamn excuses! You didn’t deal with them, and now they’re once again running amuck, and causing issues. This isn't just my future, it’s yours too.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Mine that I’ll never have, because I’ll be dead after you’re elected. </span>
  </em>
  <span>“I need you to sort them. Now.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Akechi froze. Now? Go into the palace now and sort this all out </span>
  <em>
    <span>now?</span>
  </em>
  <span> He only had a vague idea of where the thieves would even BE in the palace! No one knew what was beyond that door; there could be more puzzles, more mazes. And that line of thought caused a stutter. A pause. He could easily take them on again, yes, and without Akira, they’d be significantly weaker, but Shido would be there too. His shadow. And that would be the real issue. He refused to team up with the thieves, and they’d still be against him killing the shadow, so-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you even listening!? I said, you need to go sort them. </span>
  <b>Now.</b>
  <span>” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The tone of Shido’s voice caused some form of audible fear reaction from Akechi as he fumbled to find the right words to respond with, fighting the urge to tell him to “Go fuck himself and that he hopes he dies”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Understood, shall I call you once it’s done?”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Don’t bother. Get to work.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Beep. Beep. Beep.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His heart sank. This was his first impossible task. He couldn’t get rid of the thieves, not with this short of a notice. It was either die now, or die later. And if he was being completely honest with himself? He’d rather die quicker. He’d be just like his mother, wouldn’t he? It’d be so sweet. People always did make some snide comments saying he looked like her, so what’s the matter with going out of this world the same way she did? They’d be the exact same, mother and son.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As he accepted his fate, he pulled his hoodie back on, making sure he’d be unspotted by everyone around as he left his small apartment. Shido was going to lose out on that, seeing as he’d be dead soon. Oh well, not like it matters. He’d either be cleaning out a corpse off the floor, or forgetting he existed at all as he became a part of his destroyed distorted desires. Forever to be trapped in a space of nothingness until desires awoke once more. He’d probably be insane by then though. Stuck in his own mind, stuck in his own intrusive thoughts of destroying himself from the outside in.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He felt like he’d never go this fast on his bike ever again, the wind threatening to pull down his hood, destroying his disguise. No one could see the “detective prince” in such a state, without make-up, on a bike, in a hoodie and jeans, with a small bag on his back with his gun. No, not his gun, Shido’s gun, that he gave to him. He didn’t know how to shoot a damn pistol two years ago. He didn’t know how easy it was to forget the horrible things you had done just with a little bit of desensitization, he didn’t know that killing someone was easy, and the hiding of guilt was the true hardship of it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He stood, looking up at the diet building. It always stood as such an intimidating place. Although, the palace it hid was much more terrifying. A cruise ship sailing over the broken Tokyo it created, like a vengeful god angry at his people, so he punishes them by choosing favourites, placing them aboard a vessel of safety, and crushing everyone else with said vessel, letting them enjoy watching their family and friends being crushed bit by bit. Not all that different to how Shido was, but the technicalities didn’t particularly matter. All he did, was take out his phone, and speak the same words he had the past few times.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Masayoshi Shido, Diet Building, Cruise ship”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>-------------------</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As he stepped into the palace, he could feel how on edge the entire place was, it was crawling with shadows, all the guests seemed like they were hiding. The thieves must have already arrived by now, so all he had to do was run to where that door was. He assumed they'd most likely opened it. Why would they have sent the calling card otherwise? The method of the palace's final door opening was a similar one that he witnessed in the Casino. Times were nicer then, but this wasn't a time to reminiscence, it was a time of finding where these sneaky bastards had gone, and to finish his job.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Somehow, he was much better at sneaking since he met the thieves. He put it up to chance, or just personal improvement, but it really helped to not have to deal with any of these shadows. All he had to do was go up some stairs, and go find where they were hiding. Even though it was such a close location, it felt far, far away. It almost felt as if there were more corridors now. He could do this though, he had some form of control in the metaverse, and that was his biggest advantage. He could see it in the distance. They'd opened it, congratulations to them, sadly though, he thought, their party was about to be crashed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Losing his breath as he ran through the large doors, only to hear them...above him. There was what seemed like a large platform looming ahead, and he could hear the thieves fighting up there. A small part of him was jealous. The rest of him needed to figure out a way to get up there- or at least stop them and kill them-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>First instincts led him to try and climb. He went bouldering, it couldn't be that hard to clamber his way up the platforms and sides of the room, he had claws on his outfit, those would easily make good grips, and he could launch himself into the middle of their battle. Shoot Shido, kill him in cold blood, get his revenge, then…</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Then what?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He didn't actually want to kill the thieves. He was just fulfilling his last duties as a puppet. Maybe he'd just let them run free, he was destined to die anyways, die with a knife in his stomach, a bullet wound to the head, a rope around his neck. The world would completely forget he existed, and that would be the end of it. The end of him, and the end of his legacy as the "Second coming of the detective prince". He couldn't even be the original detective prince, either. How sad.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Claws grasping the wood, he pulled himself up, faster and faster as he went along. Even if this was much higher than he thought, he couldn't let people down right now, he needed to kill Shido, he needed to get his revenge, his revenge for his mother, revenge for- no. This wasn't revenge for him. He didn't matter in the equation. This revenge was for him and his family. “Family”. Even now, he didn’t know if his mother truly considered him family, saw him as her son, or as just some extra annoyance on her already horrible life. Maybe she still would’ve been alive if it weren’t for his birth. Maybe she would’ve found a man she really did love. Had a son who wasn’t just a reminder of her mistakes, and had a long and happy life without anyone stopping her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The thoughts of his mother just motivated him to climb higher and higher, keep going until he could see that rotten bastard’s face. He had a gun, he had Loki, he had all that he’d ever need to finally be able to take Shido down, to take the thieves down, to become the true saviour of Japan, to have the people remember him as the person who saved their lives, freed them from a corrupt government, and a corrupt group of vigilantes who did all of their missions based off a false sense of justice. The “truly just” one of the situations would be him, Goro Akechi, the detective prince. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Just as he clambered his way to a point where he could see, he noticed something. Shido’s shadow, it seemed weak. Extremely weak, as the thieves kept attacking and attacking, the same grace and order they used to have when Akira was leading them was lingering. His hand felt shaky as he held his gun, struggling to aim it towards where the group was.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He could kill the thieves, or he could kill Shido.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A choice he never thought he’d have to make. If he killed Shido, the thieves would be publicly denounced once again, if he killed a thief though, they’d simply just outnumber him. That situation was a lose-lose, whereas shooting the Shadow Shido was a win-lose for him, and for them? A lose-lose. Then again, since when did he need to actually care for the thieves? They could die for all he cared. They could be publicly killed, for all he actually cared. At the moment, his only goal was to get rid of Shido. Make this his final job, never have to hold someone else’s gun again, never do someone else’s dirty work again. Finally become his own person, be free of it all. Maybe run away and die, but at least he’d taste freedom for once in his life. That would’ve been if it wasn’t for what he saw and heard next-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was a halt. A scream of pain- a collective sigh of relief. He could see one of them fall to their knees- it looked like Ryuji. He saw Makoto approach the defeated Shido, questioning him over and over about what he had done, he could see the large wheel that’d raised above them, it was falling, shrinking and glittering as it did. That must’ve been the treasure. If that was the treasure though, that meant this place was about to go down into shambles. He could already feel the shaking in the walls, and the raised platform was already lowering, it was his cue to jump. Years of experience in the metaverse had taught him that a fall wouldn’t hurt. Cognition was quite easy to manipulate in that way. It never halted the fear though, the fear of feeling nothing underneath you.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Once he landed, he could easily feel the rumbling beneath him, the thieves were fast on his tail, even if they were just trying to escape the palace themselves. All he had to do was go the way he came, follow the corridors around all their twists and- his thoughts paused for just a split second. There wasn’t even any twisting paths on the way here, something was wrong, extremely wrong- What the fuck had Shido done!? Was this his way of killing Akechi alongside the thieves? Of course he’d come up with something like that, he thought to himself, spitting out the rotten taste in his mouth as he kept running. He could feel his legs growing weaker, but it didn’t matter, he needed to escape before this got worse.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oracle, where are we supposed to go?! </span>
  <b>The ship is sinking!</b>
  <span>” It was Ann’s voice, she was always very loud and bubbly, it was jarring when you heard her angry, or in the middle of a fight, but-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The ship was sinking, and now all of them were stuck in here unless they dared to jump into unsafe waters surrounding the ship, they were doomed. This destruction of a palace wasn't normal, yes, normally they crumbled and fell, but they didn't grow more corridors or start filling with water...Then again, not all palaces were a cruise ship. He simply kept running, further and further, he knew there had to be some way out of this place, that there had to be some way for him to just jump out and leave. That was, until he heard a voice behind him, following him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"They said the boats over 'ere- I can get this down to em, and get out!" Ryuji Sakamoto. Lacking in brains, made up for it in sheer will to keep going. As soon as he saw Akechi, however, he paused "What the fuck are you doing here dude-?! No- just nevermind, get outta the way, the damn thing is sinking! You-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I know I'll die." He needed to distance himself from him, he couldn't let Ryuji stop him now, so instead of carrying on the futile conversation, he simply started running again, running to what looked like an exit. It was dark, but it sure as hell wasn't a room, and it was his best way to get away from the thieves. Closer and closer, it was now within his reach, closer to him than Ryuji was.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As he stood, only for a few seconds, he peered out to view his drop. He couldn't even make out where the water was, it was just a dark void, it was this or nothing though, so, instead of trying to find another way, a way to preserve his life, he gripped onto the edges of the hole he had found, before pushing himself out, forcing his mouth to stay shut as he fell. Further and further until he felt the harsh splash of water. So, Shido had fallen into water from a height, nice to know there was a realistic sense of pain here. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Akechi's thoughts slowed as he sunk, everything was quiet down here, a lack of oxygen wasn't much of an issue when he felt the most comfort underwater, in the cold, murky remains of a torn up Japan. The dark of the water comforted him, like a blanket, or a hug off of someone that might've loved him one day. It would've been perfect to just stay underwater for the rest of his living moments, until the murky darkness was lit up by sound and light.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There were explosions coming from behind him, explosions that forced him to swim to the water's surface. He didn't know what happened, but sure as hell those thieves had to have something to do with this. The black mask had always put it down to Akira being a show off, but now it was glaringly clear, none of them had any form of self preservation, and all of them were stupid show offs. How fitting for their (hopefully) final mission. As he broke the surface, he looked to the false sky, seeing as it slowly became darker and darker. Listening to the pieces of ships falling into the water, wondering to himself if it was really worth it to save himself. That was when his own vision went dark.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>-------------------</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Light flooded back into the world, blinding Akechi temporarily as he woke up. He wasn’t drenched, which was a plus, but he was on the grass, and could only see the side of the Diet Building in the distance. He was glad he still had his hoodie with him, otherwise, the bite of the cold wind would’ve probably made him want to go back to being unconscious. The world was quiet, give or take for the noises of birds, and seemingly someone crying- it was probably just a loud baby from a home or apartment nearby, no one would be crying in front of the diet building. What were they trying to do, guilt their way into office? Or, at least he would’ve thought that if he were alone. Just a few meters away, he heard another voice, gruff, but whiny. It didn’t take long to realise who it was once he saw their face though.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Dammit...That was shit..” Ryuji. Sakamoto. Just the person he needed to run into after nearly drowning in a metaverse shipwreck. He sounded like he was in pain, a lot of it. Makes sense, seeing as he was separated from the group, who knows what he could’ve gone through. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But, Akechi didn’t need more confrontation, so he tried to push himself up, ignoring how much his arms and legs ached from all the climbing he had done to try and kill them all just a small while ago. Bouldering could only have prepared him for so much, not “hang onto a wooden wall and observe an entire fight go on, before jumping out into the “ocean” as a ship sinks”. Actually, he thought, nothing in life could really ever prepare you for something like that, but at least it was something interesting for parties with other metaverse users. Or a therapist. Little did he know though, pushing himself up like that makes a lot more noise than you’d think. Enough noise to turn the head of a man who’d just woken up passed out on the grass.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Akechi-? You survived that-?”</span>
  <span></span>
    <br/>
  
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“And you survived too, Sakamoto?” He didn’t mean to sound so bitter, it was just his normal tone of voice when it came to Ryuji. He was annoying, and needed someone to put him in his place, be it by force or not, it needed to happen.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Why ar-” Cut off. Neither of them really cared to ask the questions, they just needed answering.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Forget you ever saw me here. I’m sure your group thinks you’re dead, don’t even utter my </span>
  <em>
    <span>name</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Understood?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>All Ryuji gave him was a nod before he started limping off. It was a problem solved a lot quicker than expected, and it gave Akechi more time to come to his senses. The palace was gone, Shido wasn’t dead, and he had failed his mother. He never got his revenge for her, and that was all that rang in his mind as he kept trying to find his bike again. It wasn’t near the Diet Building, it was just a little bit away, so then, even if his bike was noticed, it wouldn’t be suspicious. He knew his fans were crazy, so it was his safest plan.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Then again, what the hell was safe about trying to kill his father after he’d been caught by a group that wouldn’t be afraid of broadcasting his crimes to the world? What was safe about developing any form of emotional attachment to their leader and then shooting him point blank, failing, then listening to him get shot behind a flood wall? Nothing in his life was “A safe plan”. His life carrying on, wasn’t a safe plan. And neither was waiting for Shido’s change of heart.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>THIS IS SO FUCKING LONG. I LOVE THIS FIC BUT JESUS C HR. S IT. I should mention, if I go on a hiatus I'm extremely sorry!!!! school is kicking my ass whoops- thank you for reading!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Keep your friends in their graves, and enemies at an arms length</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>To say he was shocked by what happened after the thieves changed Shido’s heart would be half of the truth. Of course, he expected some change in demeanor, and how he spoke with others, but the fact all of his jobs were brought to a halt, and all his interviews had been postponed by him? That was something he couldn’t have predicted.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>BE. BE WARNED. THIS BITCH IS LIK. 7K. BRAIN WENT LENGTH.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>To say he was shocked by what happened after the thieves changed Shido’s heart would be half of the truth. Of course, he expected some change in demeanor, and how he spoke with others, but the fact all of his jobs were brought to a halt, and all his interviews had been postponed by him? That was something he couldn’t have predicted. Then again, it had been about 3 days now, the election results were tonight. If Shido had won, what was going to happen? Would the thieves rejoice? Would he admit all his crimes to the country? Would he tell them that he’d been manipulating a child to do his bidding for years now, would he announce that he’d been having bastard children that normally would become orphans, or never have a truly full family? Or have mothers that only saw them as reminders of the man who hurt them? He didn’t know. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His breathing slowed as he relaxed into the small chair in his apartment, it wasn’t always this comfy, but maybe a lack of stress made it feel better, maybe the thought of the world spiralling back to normality felt good to him, maybe the feeling of not being used felt good. Maybe just being able to spend a night in, a night where he wasn’t pointing a gun at some unassuming person’s head, where he was finally free from the bastard’s control. He was, in all sense of the word, right now, a free man. Someone who could do </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything.</span>
  </em>
  <span> He wasn’t going to die soon, either. He’d be able to live his entire life, even if he had no plans for such a life. The thoughts started to filter out though, as his attention was drawn to his phone once again. It had been going off for a few minutes now, but being lost in thought made him ignore it for once.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>---------------------</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>[Ryuji]</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>|And then as we left he was there!|</span>
</p><p>
  <span>|Like, wholeass just effin’ there, running outta the damn palace, in the same direction I was!|</span>
</p><p>
  <span>|And then, to make it weirder, he was where I was when I woke up!|</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>[Ann] </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>|And he told you NOT to tell us he was there? Since when does he think that that plan is sneaky? How dumb does he think we are?|</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>[Futaba] </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>|Very, clearly!|</span>
</p><p>
  <span>|Then again, someone like him would assume aaaanyone that’s below him would be absolutely stupid!|</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>|It’s not that hard to trick him though. Our plan tricked him two times to next sunday!|</span>
</p><p>
  <span>|Well- “next sunday”, maybe just a repeating one!|</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>[Yusuke]</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>|Is that another game reference of hers? If so, Futaba, would you please explain?|</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>[Futaba]</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>|Nope! My secrets are all mine, figure out yourself, Inari!|</span>
</p><p>
  <span>|Anyways, Ryuji! What did he say when you saw him?|</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>[Ryuji]</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>|Nothin’ really important..|</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>[Haru]</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>|I apologise for interrupting, but isn’t it time for the news broadcast with Shido?|</span>
</p><p>
  <span>|All of you, minus Futaba-chan are outside ready to watch, correct?|</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>[Ryuji]</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>|’Course we are! We have to be out here, it’s for Akira! But, report back when we know what’s going on!|</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>---------------------</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Well, for once, he could say Haru was right. The news broadcast was scheduled for a few minutes away. The time where he could finally see his father fall to his knees, begging for forgiveness, crying for forgiveness. Forgiveness that he’d never, ever get from the public. It was some sort of feeling, maybe relief, maybe joy, but definitely something he’d repressed over all the years. He turned to the news channel, ready for them to announce the inevitable of “Masayoshi Shido as the new prime minister of Japan!” That he will “Save our country” and “take us to greatness!”. What utter bullshit. All he’d do is make it crash and burn to the ground. Sink under its own failures like it already was. There was no point contemplating what he was going to do now, all he had to do was sit back and watch the television as he gave his speech.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“My election is the result of every citizen’s aid. Your support warms my heart!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Of course, he’d already been elected. Not a shock, never would be a shock. He was such an “influence” on the public, even if he said “I ruin lives on the daily”, people would still support him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“That is why… That is exactly why- I cannot forgive myself! The reason why President Okumura passed away- I am the one that killed him-”</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>
      <br/>
    </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>
      <br/>
    </span>
  </em>
  <span>Bullshit. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Bullshit.</span>
  </em>
  <span> None of that damn blood was ever on his hands, all the blood of that man’s death would permanently stain Akechi’s hands, permanently. He would always carry the guilt for killing someone’s parents, he was the one who had to carry all the guilt for their murders. He’d always be the one who was truly guilty for ruining those peoples lives. It sure was funny watching his men run like headless chickens behind him to try stop the live feed, stop him from spilling all their secrets. Not like that’d do anything.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I also manipulated the information that the Phantom Thieves were behind the series of incidents. The one who controlled the hearts of others and gave rise to the countless victims...is myself. It was for my promotion, for my own selfish gain.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>All he wanted to do was smash the television screen, of course, he’d never admit the details, “I manipulated the hearts of others”, What was he? Too much of a coward to admit he abused his own son? Coerced his own son into being a murder tool? A teenage hitman who would’ve been</span>
  <em>
    <span> dead</span>
  </em>
  <span> today if it weren’t for the thieves? Maybe that’s why he hated them so much. They got all the credit for solving an issue, and leaving ten other issues to rot and fester now that “their source had been removed”. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’ve even used other people’s lives as stepping stones, and used this country as my own ship...I will confess everything! Please, everyone, just pass judgement on me...If I could atone for all I’ve done with my life, I request that I be jud-”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He turned the television off, letting the silence once again invade his apartment. He couldn’t stand that man’s face, he couldn’t stand seeing him like that, begging for “forgiveness”. He never deserved it- ever.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It took him a while to calm himself, to rationalise his thoughts about this. It was stressful, extremely so. As expected though, he thought. Even if he partially expected his eyes to roll back and black liquid to start seeping from his mouth, the way this change of heart went was still the way it should’ve been, in a way. It was extremely fulfilling to see someone who’d abused him for so long “fall to his knees” under his own “guilt”. Fall to his knees at the hands of the people who he so publicly denounced and got Akechi to denounce too. A group that had a lot more power than he ever could’ve thought. A group with an infamous hacker, a leader with the exact same powers as himself. Once again, proving that Goro Akechi would never be special. Proving that even if he had seen his father crying on live television after being elected as prime minister, that he’d still never be as good as the elusive “Joker” and his band of thieves.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>---------------------</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At first, Akechi thought the end of the year with no work or jobs would be a paradise. That it would be the time of his life that he’d never experienced before. Instead, it had been full of paranoia and anger, anger towards the public for so easily ignoring what Shido had said, pulling it as some joke, paranoia that one day, Shido would recover and expose that he never really did commit the crimes with his own hands, that instead, his son committed them for him, that the “detective prince” was really a murderer. No matter what he did, those thoughts would be floating around his head, even if he was simply going to get food, or going to change, even if he was just living a normal life. The only thing he knew he had to uphold was his status, he was constantly posting the food he’d been having just for his fans. “Fans”. The “Food he’d been having”. He’d barely eaten any of the stuff he posted, he just tossed it into the trash and ate microwaved meals instead, unless, of course, he was eating out. He’d eat it then, but more out of respect for the owners of whatever establishment he’d stumbled upon.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The other parts of this week were simply filled with peoples underwhelming reactions to what Shido said. They just thought it was some shock tactic. Even the thieves wouldn't shut up about that, the stupid group chat he was still in was blowing up with messages all about "Going to Mementos" and "Sorting out why no one cared about the change of heart". It was pathetic, but they'd also constantly brought up going on Christmas eve. Tonight. It couldn't hurt to</span>
  <em>
    <span> just try</span>
  </em>
  <span> and see what the hell they were doing down in Mementos after they'd finished their "final mission". He wanted to get out of his apartment too, but to be able to finally prove he's better than the thieves? He'd do it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He pushed himself up from his couch, pulling his hair into a low ponytail, it wasn't as annoying when it was tied up and in his suit. For as cool as his 15 year old self thought he’d look, now that he was an adult, it’d kicked in that his outfit was an emo candy cane, mixed with some kid who’d watched too many card dueling animes. Or, just some shitty emo with no sense of when “enough is enough” with the “Edge”. He didn’t really care though, he’d grown too fond of this outfit to simply just try and form a new one. It made him comfortable, it made him feel as if maybe he could still retain some of his lost childhood, some of his lost innocence.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With a quick turn and click, his door was locked, and he headed to his final destination on an extremely cold Christmas eve.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>---------------------</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shibuya subway entrance, somewhere he’d once brought Akira. The place where Akechi finally admitted his true emotions towards him, or at least what he thought were his true emotions. He wondered, did Akira still have the glove? If he did, that was weird, Akechi couldn’t particularly understand why someone would want to keep something like that, but he never really could understand Akira anyways, so it would just be another question left unanswered as he disappeared from the stairs of the station and entered the swirling abyss that was Mementos, preparing himself for how much he’d have to travel.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As he stood in the first and smallest area, his phone bleeped, a message. When he checked, it wasn’t like the last few times, it was a different message.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“The door to the depths of Mementos has been opened”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The door to the depths? What the hell? He put his phone away again, sighing. It didn’t make all that much sense to him, it’d probably make more sense to the thieves. Who he was following. All of it added up to the fact he’d have to go through the entire place, all….60 something floors, he’d lost count by the 4th layer. This place was too big. All he knew for certain was he’d be having a long bike ride down there, and really, really sore legs once he’d made it. To hoping that the place didn’t go any further. He picked up his bike, walking down the stairs with it in tow. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>If his time with the thieves was anything to prove for, he knew how far Mementos actually went down, how it changed from floor to floor, how it showed the creepiness of the collective unconscious. How it showed the easiest way to kill off your targets if they were morally corrupt, a vigilante with a persona would be a force to be reckoned with...Maybe that what I should’ve been, Akechi thought to himself, as he pedalled faster and faster, trying to get through this place as quick as possible. He hated the groaning noises in the winds, he hated seeing the “people” getting on the trains and going further down, and he most certainly hated how tired he was going to be once he’d finally gotten to where the thieves had shown him last. The lowest they’d gotten by the beginning of their mission in Sae’s palace. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The fact that Mementos was so accessible made Akechi curious. He thought something as complex and important to the function of the masses cognition would be harder to find, or at least harder to get through, but he learnt that wasn’t true when the shadows would run away from him as he tore through the place on his bike. The bike he’d had since he was 14. The bike he saved up to get from working odd jobs when he wasn’t in school. The bike he taught himself to ride because he never had the father son bonding moment of being taught by Shido. He wouldn’t have wanted that anyways, he’d much rather have just learnt and been left with bruises. It wasn’t like it would be the first time the lack of a true parent left him with those.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Floor after floor, repeating and repeating, nothing ever changed with this place, well, the method, anyways. Every floor was constantly changing, but the method of finding the next floor was simple, and it still works, no matter what. Don’t stay for too long, don’t let anything catch you off guard, and most importantly, don’t trust anyone other than yourself, anything other than your own wits. Just because they didn’t look human didn’t mean they couldn’t act like one. Just because they were shadows doesn’t mean they won’t beg for their lives and act as if you’re their saviour instead of their killer. Of course, you get used to it, you grow numb to people’s begging and pleading and just do your job. Run from shadows to conserve energy and resources, and find your way to a large door at the bottom of Mementos that you never remembered being there before.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wait-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>What?</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Was </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span> the door to the mementos depths? Had the thieves already made it down here? They would’ve had to make it down here already, right? The door was open, and he never saw any sign of them during his ride down to this place himself. Akechi sighed, leaning his bike up against the walls of the place. It was a cognition, so it would be fine, he’d still have his bike outside of Mementos. If there was somewhere that would’ve been better with something to ride? Oh well, he could walk it. He’d walked a lot more in his life anyways, with all the palaces he’d gone through over the two years he’d worked for Shido. For all the mental shutdowns and psychotic breakdowns he’d caused. He took a deep breath, before walking through the “door”.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As Akechi went in, he could see crowds of people at some sort of entrance. Why were they all here? It looked like some cult, they were talking like some cult too. This entire place felt like a prison, a prison for the cognition, a prison of desires or something? All he could do was try to come to conclusions, he couldn’t fully figure out what had happened here. His mind danced around his options of what to do, he could’ve pushed through the crowd, following wherever they were going. That would probably lead him to some sort of abyss, cognitive beings couldn’t be trusted in that sense. They never could be. As he wandered nearer to the edge, there was a small path, leading to what seemed to be another opening. It was his only option. And, because of it being his only option, he jumped up, following the small path through.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Going through this...door, of sorts, led him to a large pathway. The design was the same as the recent floors of Mementos, bones, red glowing streaks amongst a black stone floor. If it weren’t for it being Mementos, it’d be beautiful, it’d look amazing, but it was, and that just made it all the more unsettling. Everything about this place was unsettling, especially the fact this was most likely, untapped territory. For all Akechi knew, he could be the first human to physically ever visit this place, the first person to ever walk amongst its twisting walls and halls, the first person to ever enter here with the sorts of powers he had obtained throughout his lifetime. His thoughts echoed in his head as he walked, they were the only thing he could hear other than footsteps. Following the path felt a little too easy for something that was supposed to be so complex and important, it felt too quiet. That was all until he could hear more talking, talking that didn’t sound like his voice, or the thieves. It sounded like a crowd, or a classroom, where everyone was having conversations with each other and you were just left out. Then he made it. The room with all the noise stood before him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was… a prison? That was his best bet. They were all talking, over each other, to each other, overwhelming his senses. If he didn’t know these were shadows, the amount of noise would’ve sent him into some spiral of anger. They’re shadows though, they’re the worst parts of people- and obviously, the worst parts of the general public, would be in a prison of their cognition, right? That was the only conclusion he could come to about this place. All of the shadows kept trying to call out to Akechi, telling him that he should join them in the cells, that he shouldn’t stay out there, he should open the doors and come inside and be happy with all of them, be inside, in their words, a “system that grants desires”. They were talking bullshit. There was no such thing like that, nothing like that could exist without flaw, and this was clearly flawed in his eyes. And for that reason, he tried his best to leave whilst ignoring them. There was no point in living under the general masses thumb like that, you either carve your own path in life, or you have no reason for living.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>---------------------</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It felt like hours until he got to that safe room. Hours of wandering through what felt like an already cleared area, a place that was just...empty. Maybe, the masses weren’t malicious, maybe that’s the true reason as to why there was no shadows, maybe that’s why he got through every little part of this place with his method of “Ignore anything that speaks to you”, maybe that’s how he didn’t react to seeing a docile shadow of Shido. Maybe that’s how he’d come this far. Of course, there was no real time to check down here, for all Akechi knew, he could’ve only been down here for 5 minutes and it just dragged and warped to a point of him feeling like it’d been hours upon hours, days upon days. It still felt uncanny that there was nothing to do here though, that everything that seemed like it had been finished by someone else. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>One thing ran true though. He was no more free than the people inside those damn cells. All their mumbling and muttering and grasps for his attention proved something horrible, something harsh and cold, and most importantly, true. The thieves had messed up, big time. And he was part of them messing up too. Everyone who’s hearts they’d changed was here, all of them were talking about how much better they felt- there was something bigger at work here. They’d been manipulated by someone or something. And by extension and common sense, Akechi himself had been the first to be manipulated by this thing. Blood boiled in his veins when he came to that realisation, the realisation that he had been under someone else's thumb other than Shido’s, that he still wasn’t ever going to be free. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At least he could go to a safe room to calm himself, right? There didn’t seem to be any noise from inside of this one, and it felt like something dangerous was near the bottom of the stairs.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, we’ve cleared this entire place out of shadows, and this is going to most likely be our last stop before we have to fight whatever is guarding the treasure of mementos-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A group of heads turned his way, all looking somewhere between shocked, terrified and angered. There were some whispers, some tuts, and some whispered insults. But in the end, a lot of angry sentiments left to bubble for a good few weeks now. And a perfect opportunity to let some snark slip through.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Am I interrupting something, team?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>None other than the phantom thieves stood before him, and the reason that all the parts that seemed oddly completed was in front of him. He may have been behind them, but at least he'd caught up to them before the real show began. They didn't share the same sentiment of course, glaring him down like he'd just shot a puppy, maybe that's why they were so upset over Akira's death, he thought. He was still trying to distance his emotions from that situation, he couldn't bear to think about it ever again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Akechi…” Haru’s voice was meek, but it wasn’t her being scared. She didn’t get scared easily, her sadistic thoughts she shared to the group say otherwise to her being a pushover, she’d be very fit to be a leader if she didn’t hide everything under a shy personality. That was only his observations though, he couldn’t voice those when he’d followed them down here. Of course, they’d be upset by it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why the hell are you here? Didn’t you tell me notta-”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“You didn’t listen to me either way, Ryuji.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The entire room went silent after he said that, it kicked in for, what Akechi thought, was everyone, that he’d clearly been reading the chats and seeing the fact that Ryuji had told them about the palace, the fact that he had most certainly told Ryuji to not bring up the fact they'd met in any way shape or form.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Makoto let out a hefty sigh, turning her full attention towards Akechi. She had the same personality as her sister in Akechi's eyes, she always would have.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"What are you doing here, Akechi?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>What was he doing here? He couldn't actually tell, it felt weird to be so honest. He was here because they were here, he was following them to find out what the hell was going on with the public's reaction to Shido's change of heart. Why there was nothing different about the public. But could he really admit something like that? Was there anything to lose? He couldn't tell. In all fairness, he thought, neither parties had anything to gain, nor were they enemies anymore. They were, by all means, on the same side, no reason to betray them or go against, no reason to lie, right?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He let himself fall into his faux, television voice. "I'm here for the same purpose as you, finding out why and how you've all been manipulated Into some larger scheme. Seeing as we're all a part of it, are we not?"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>His lies were still clear as day, he never wanted to be part of something that they were a part of, he didn't want to be the same. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I’m not going to try and kill you again, there would be no point, it’d just hinder us all, would it not,</span>
  <em>
    <span> queen</span>
  </em>
  <span>?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The appropriately named Queen’s face contorted into something similar to hatred and disgust mixed into one. Akechi could tell why, obviously, she’d be annoyed about having to even see his face, let alone have him offer to work with them or something of the sort. None of them particularly wanted collaboration, but it could help them in the long run, if they had someone as experienced as Akechi. However, that couldn't replace Akira's abilities. Even if Akechi was a wildcard, he could never develop the same amount of potential.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"And what's your ulterior motive here, Akechi? Knowing you, you’ll always have some sort of secondary plan up your sleeve. Who's to say you aren't tricking us again?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What point would I have in betraying you again? I have no reason to believe we’re enemies anymore, am I correct? You changed Shido’s heart, so the only thing that made me your enemy is gone. Wouldn’t having an extra persona user fill in for your lost leader?”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh. </span>
  </em>
  <span>That one struck a nerve, especially in Futaba and Ryuji. The two closest to him, it makes sense as to why they’d be so upset. His little sister, his best friend. They’d be the easiest to manipulate with his existence, he thought- No. He couldn’t. If he was to work with them, he’s not supposed to anger them. He could become their next target, after all. He sighed, crossing his arms as he surveyed the room, as to who to talk to try and get them to let him help. Ann seemed the best option, they’d been on good terms before all of this happened, before Sae, before Shido, before they all ever met in the first place.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Panther, wouldn’t you agree that more people is better than less? Having someone who’s experienced in the metaverse would also be a-”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>He was interrupted by Futaba, as she looked up from her laptop that she seemed to carry everywhere. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We don’t need your help, Akechi! You’ve broken our trust way too many times for us to ever let you try to help us anymore!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oracle, let him talk-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Another shock, Ann was </span>
  <em>
    <span>letting </span>
  </em>
  <span>him talk. Maybe he had chosen the right person to try and let him convince them of his worth to being on this team, and his worth as someone who had the same abilities of their leader he killed. Something about him being the one to kill him felt...wrong. He didn’t want to focus on the pit in his stomach from that, he didn’t want to feel the guilt for killing the one person who he could’ve had feelings for. That didn’t matter, he had to convince himself that it didn't matter anymore, all that matter was trying to get the thieves to work with him. He cleared his throat before speaking again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“As I was saying, I’m experienced in the metaverses rules and ways to manipulate them, I could be of great assistance. You don’t have to keep me on the front lines, but your previous leader did agree that I was quite strong and a capable leader myself. Would you all mind trusting me for this one battle?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No. Not at all. We’re not going to trust you, or whatever plan you have in mind. Your plans end in all of us getting severely injured or worse. We don’t need to talk of the engine room do we?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Queen, if you’d be so kind to push our past encounters aside, your team isn’t fit to fight large fights without a leader. You were all struggling majorly with your battle against Shido, struggling without your leader’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>amazing</span>
  </em>
  <span> ability. Which I share. When all of that is taken into account, you, and your team, would be better to work with me instead of working alone. Do you have any idea of what you’re even facing? Or are you rushing in with no care for your safety and wellbeing? You know that’s what go-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Akechi SHUT UP-!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>All heads turned to the voice, he never expected Futaba to yell like that. He didn’t expect any of them to yell at him like that, but he could see an anger in her eyes. He’d really hit a nerve this time. She stood up, stomping over to him and pulling his face down to hers, eye to eye. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just because you think you’re all high and mighty doesn’t mean you can talk down on us like that! You think you’re so amazing and able to manipulate your way into everything, well- you can’t-! I’m saying Akechi isn’t damn well joining us. I don’t want someone who’s going to rub Joker’s death in our faces like that trying to help us.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As she let go of Akechi’s suit, he brushed off where he had been grabbed, and sighed. Of course they would still be upset. He looked over the thieves again, and all of them seemed to be in quite an agreement with Futaba. They were angry with him because it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>his</span>
  </em>
  <span> fault that their leader died. It was </span>
  <em>
    <span>his</span>
  </em>
  <span> fault that they all stood there and did nothing; and that was all he needed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Blame me all you want, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Oracle</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but I’m not the one who stood there as their leader went to the other side of an immovable barrier. I wasn’t the one who simply just yelled to the other side once they heard gunshots. I didn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>ask</span>
  </em>
  <span> to be saved, I asked him to leave, actually, I asked you all to leave.” Akechi paused, before smiling. He knew what he was doing now, he knew how to get on their team, even if it was to just get more information for himself. “You all seemed so welcoming to have me on your team then, was that your leader’s sentiment for my life rubbing off on you, and as soon as he was gone, you dropped it entirely?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And just like that, he got an entire room of infamous thieves to drop dead silent. One of his now, proudest achievements. He stood and watched them mentally try and come up with a rebuttal, to no avail, he’d been able to truly stump them, and be able to make a window to propose his request once again. The black mask finally dropped his fake voice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If you let me help, I’m not going to drag you down. We have the same goal, which is to find out what’s going on here. After that, you’ll never hear from me again, and I’ll be gone completely from your lives. How does that sound?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Gone completely”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Was an interesting way to put his own death. He’d never thought of it that way, but at least no one else caught onto it. If they had, it would’ve given them more reason to decline him. But, the look on Makoto’s face told him all he needed to know. She looked so upset, so torn between telling him to go fuck himself, and letting him help with what they were doing, and she had finally made the right decision of letting him join and help them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fine, Akechi. If you try to pull </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything</span>
  </em>
  <span>, however- You won’t die to a shadow like Joker did.”</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>---------------------</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“Remember your end of the deal, Akechi” Makoto sighed as everyone started to leave the safe room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>All that Akechi did was smile and nod, he knew that he wasn’t living after this, so he may as well put his all into fighting whatever was down there. It had to have something to do with the masses, but he didn’t know what. All he knew was at the bottom of these stairs was whatever they had to face, what he had forced the thieves to let him help fight. He could’ve easily ignored them, he could’ve just turned around and gone home and let them finish what they started. But there was something inside him that wouldn’t let him do that. The fact he’d been played again by the person who gave him his power. It pissed him off, but there was nothing else he could do other than find him. Find that damn god, or whatever it was.  Low and behold, what was at the bottom of those stairs could very well be his answer to that.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What the hell is this place-!?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ryuji’s screams of confusion were commonplace, but made sense. All of them, including Akechi looked amongst each other as they tried to take in whatever they were seeing. A room with thousands of prison cells lining it’s walls, all of them full of their own inmates, all of them glowing an unnatural red colour, just like the rest of Mementos did. That wasn’t the only uncomfortable part of this hall, though.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They’re prison cells, aren’t they? But- what’s that in the middle-?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know, Oracle, but whatever it is- it’s disgustingly grand, and I don’t think it’s anything normal-!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There are no other paths either…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Futaba, Ann, Yusuke, always the observant ones of the team, always the ones to look into the aesthetics of everything. It was oddly helpful. Akechi decided it was time to try to speak up. He hadn’t told them this, but he was going to try to act as a somewhat leader. They just didn’t know about that yet.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This must be our final destination. We should prepare for a fight, I don’t think we’ll get out of this unscathed. Queen, you agree, right?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Makoto nodded back to him, trying to form everyone into a battle safe stance, telling them all something to focus on, Haru, Ann and Morgana to focus on healing, Yusuke, Ryuji and her to focus on attacking. She then turned to Akechi</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I need you to be on attack, with me, Fox and skull. You said you were a hard hitter, right? We need to put that to the test, and we need more than three reliable attackers. You can do that, right?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He didn't want to be ordered around by Makoto, but this was the only way. He groaned, rolling his eyes as he nodded. The “healers” looked towards their little group, before giving a thumbs up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This must be where the treasure is, we can do this everyone!” Haru, when she wanted to be, was a really, really good motivational speaker. Anyone’s knees would turn to jelly from hearing such a soft voice telling them they’d be okay.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Noir...I think that </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> the treasure! But how are we going to get it out of here?” The cat creature spoke up as he readied his weapon, if they were going to fight the treasure itself, who could ever know what might happen to the public, what could happen to them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We don’t! We’re just gonna have to fight it, right!? That’s what we always do, ain’t it? Fight it, and alla this will be done!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Skull, the entire metaverse is going to end up disappearing once it disappears, we can’t fight it with no plan”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As the group started to discuss everything, Akechi kept his eyes on the moving parts of whatever stood before them. It looked like a goblet, or a grail, something very religious. The energy it exerted was uncomfortable to be surrounded in, it felt like if it even said anything, it’d just destroy them. Even when he tried to focus on the group's debates and discussion, he couldn’t understand it, all he could properly focus on was supposed treasure. That was when he heard it, the groaning noise that was coming from all around. Akechi turned to the group, yelling as best he could.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Everyone, I think that something is happening with the so-called treasure- we need to get ready to battle, and now!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>For a second, he expected them to ignore him, to brush off his concerns, but instead, they all started to move into the formation they’d been talking about. Makoto, Yusuke and Ryuji spread out all around the- thing, as Haru, Morgana and Ann got into safer positions to heal, and attack when they found openings. Makoto’s voice boomed out to the rest of the team.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Phantom Thieves, ATTACK!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Akechi and the two other boys started moving closer to the goblet, attacking with their strongest physical attacks, Makoto staying back and using her magic based attacks, yelling out to her persona as she did. The noise in the hall was unbearable, but hearing the others fight made that auditory hell more bearable, hearing them actually giving a shit made him think that maybe, just maybe, they had a chance at destroying this thing, that maybe they had a chance, and that all this pain he felt from trying to constantly hit it over and over had some purpose other than making him feel like his lungs were going to set on fire from all the yelling he had to do. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Everything was going so well, everything was going just like the shadow Sae fight, they were all able to run around and get in attacks over and over again, nothing was changing- Nothing, other than the colour of the goblet. It kept getting brighter and brighter, becoming less of a dark bronze, and more of a vibrant gold. And that was when they all started realising where the rest of the noise was coming from.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was coming from the cells that lined the walls.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The masses were pouring their energy into it, healing it of it’s damages, giving it more power. It was then when it kicked in that all the damage they were dealing was amounting to nothing, that they’d never be able to destroy it like this, the masses would just keep healing and healing and healing, and they’d be back to square one. The thieves had been exhausting their energy for nothing. Akechi stopped, backing away, trying to regain all the lost energy and oxygen, only to see that all of the others were stopping too. Ann was the first to yell out what was wrong</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“N-Nothing is working-! It just- just keeps healing, what can- can we- fuck, what can we do?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was no answer, as any answer they would’ve tried to give would’ve been drowned out by the sudden speaking of everyone in the cells. A chorus of don’t harm the Holy Grail, or, stop attacking it. None of them could understand why this was happening, the only conclusion Akechi could come to was that the masses were a part of this, they didn’t want this to go...but why? That, he couldn't tell.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If this is how the people feel…There’s no way we can steal their heart, it’s impossible- all of this was- for nothing..”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This is horrible, Mona…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Akechi couldn’t help but feel bad for them, they’d tried so hard to get down here, just to be faced with this. This must’ve been the first time one of their plans had failed by accident. It must’ve hurt for them. He held his sword across his chest, in a defensive stance. There was no telling what was about to happen to them, the masses could attack, the Grail could attack, it was hard to tell. But, out of all those options he weighed up in his mind, he never expected the Grail to speak to them. It sounded like a malicious God.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You imbeciles are intoxicated by an undesired “Justice”. This is the will of the children of man who have fallen into sloth...My shine is the proof that they desire my existence. As long as humanity yearns for me, I shall never cease to exist.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shocked, they all stood in silence as they stared up at the Holy Grail, before Makoto turned to the rest of them, fear and worry in her eye.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is… is this really what they want? To stop thinking and be guided by the Holy Grail…? I can’t begin to imagine a world...a world that’s like that-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Queen, calm yourself! Your emotions can’t overwhelm you here, not right now!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Akechi never thought he’d see the day where he was saying something like that to Makoto, but it was pivotal to their success right now. He hated this, he hated that he’d even decided to work with them, that stupid tactic was really for nothing, if he’d known this was to await them, he would’ve just stayed in his room and waited for Christmas day to come and let them deal with this. But it was too late for regrets now, too late to turn away, the entrance had disappeared a long time before. This was what they’d signed up for now.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s right… we can’t accept this, and I’m sure the rest of us agree-!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The humans I look up to aren’t like this… They wouldn’t throw their life away for something like this!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mona’s right, this isn’t what they want-!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They thought they’d done something. They thought pep talking the Holy Grail would work. Akechi just sighed, as he kept his stance, trying to figure out the right time to yell a command of run. Yet, he would never get that, as the Grail kept talking.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“Humanity already wishes for their distortions to be actualized. I am merely the being that will ultimately grant those wishes...Now! It is time that I refrain from my place in this world, and begin to encroach upon reality itself.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Panic started to settle as they noticed the large amounts of energy coming from the Holy Grail, the energy that was presenting itself as a large blue-white mass surrounding it. Akechi could hear the yells of everyone, yelling what was it, that they needed to run, that they needed to get the hell out of whatever position they were in right now. They were trying to figure out what it was going to do. Ann and Futaba started to back off, but before they could get anywhere significantly far away, it started to speak again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hmph...Indolent, foolish humans. You shall offer your hearts to me. Now...the time for the fusion has come upon us.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Before anyone could answer, the blinding light from inside of the Holy Grail spread, covering the entire room and stopping them from seeing anything, even their own bodies were unable to be seen. All Akechi heard in those moments of blindness was someone calling out to Morgana.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>---------------------</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Once Akechi opened his eyes again, he could immediately notice something was wrong. One, he was in his hoodie, not his metaverse outfit. Two, this was Shibuya, and nowhere near the entrance to Mementos. Three, all of the thieves were on the other side of the street, and they were talking with each other. He laid there for a minute, expecting someone to tell him to move, or for someone to say that he was taking up space, or for, well, laying in the middle of the street. However...no one seemed to notice him. The thieves had all stood up by now, they were all talking amongst themselves, before Yusuke pointed up to the sky. Out of curiosity, Akechi looked up too, and by god, that was one sight he’d never forget for the rest of his life.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bones. Huge, skeletal remains scattered the city, it looked like spinal cords twisting their way in and out between buildings. This had to be the encroaching, right? This was just like mementos. This- </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> mementos now. But no one else could even see it. The people walking in the streets were just going around as if nothing was happening, as if it was a beautiful day, something out of a story book. That was so far from the truth. The rain falling was </span>
  <em>
    <span>RED!</span>
  </em>
  <span> The sky was red, it was all just Mementos. How could no one else see this? He finally pushed himself to stand, he was going to try and go over to the thieves, he had to. That was, until he heard what some of the people were saying.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The Phantom Thieves? That was a fun rumour, wasn’t it? I doubt anyone actually believes they exist though..”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s like those, what were they, shutdowns? Weren’t the thieves made to make those have a reason for occurring, when it was really just issues in the workplace? It was such a weird way of going around things”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>...The shutdowns didn’t happen? That isn’t possible, Akechi committed them all, he </span>
  <em>
    <span>killed</span>
  </em>
  <span> people, how was that just some workplace dispute? The thieves existed too, this had to be some weird form of misunderstanding, or some odd joke. Maybe this was a dream, maybe it wasn’t even christmas eve! Maybe that light just knocked them out and this was a fever dream, his mind was racing, he just needed to keep calm. He couldn’t panic now, no matter how much his breathing sped up, no matter how much his chest tightened. It was fine. It was all fine.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was all fine until he heard a harrowing scream from the otherside of the street. It was Ryuji. It was at that moment that Akechi knew something was wrong. Something was really, really wrong. Because people shouldn’t start to disappear like that. People’s bodies shouldn’t start to fade like that. Akechi tried to run, but his legs failed him as he stood, so he ended up falling to the ground to watch them all disappear and scream in horror. He couldn’t hear what they were saying anymore, all he could see was their bodies slowly fading out of existence.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“This isn’t my doing. You imbeciles are about to disappear from the people’s cognition. Mementos and reality have become one. Thus, those who have disappeared from cognition no longer have a place to exist.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bullshit, it had to be bullshit- but it wasn’t. Akechi could see it clear as day, he could see Ryuji evaporate just like the shadows did, he could hear his screams, he could see all of their bodies start to disappear. He was so focused on them, that he didn’t even begin to notice his own hand had started to slowly disappear. If he could have screamed, he would’ve. But, he was too focused on watching every single thief disappear. Once Morgana had faded, the reality of this all kicked in, just in those few seconds. This was it. This was the end of the line for the Detective Prince, Goro Akechi. For the Black Mask, Goro Akechi. For the bastard child of Masayoshi Shido, Goro Akechi.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And those were his last thoughts, before his body disappeared into nothingness.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>heeheoooooooooooo this was a bitch to write. hopefully chapters will be a lot longer from now on because uh. plot. plot is nice. plot is good.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Different place, same story line</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Akechi would’ve thought that being erased from the people’s cognition would leave him floating in a black void of nothing for the rest of eternity, no one to hear you scream, cry, speak, utter silence from everything.  He didn’t particularly expect to end up waking up again somewhere else. Or, that he’d wake up in a prisoners outfit.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Akechi would’ve thought that being erased from the people’s cognition would leave him floating in a black void of nothing for the rest of eternity, no one to hear you scream, cry, speak, utter silence from everything.  He didn’t particularly expect to end up waking up again somewhere else. Or, that he’d wake up in a prisoners outfit. Had they been thrown into being someone else? That couldn’t be it, he pondered, seeing as he still remembered all the thieves, and that he still vividly remembered disappearing...and from what he could see now, his body was certainly quite intact. This place felt familiar, weirdly familiar, like he’d been here in a dream, many dreams over the years. He tried to stand up from the bed, only to feel a large weight on his leg. </span>
  <em>
    <span>A ball and chain?</span>
  </em>
  <span> And that was when it kicked in for him. This was a velvet room, just not his own. It had to be Akira’s. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He looked around his cell briefly, before spotting Igor, and two young girls by the front of the room. They seemed like they were identical twins. As much as he wanted to observe his surroundings more, he heard Igor start to speak to him. The man who had constantly reprimanded him in his dreams. Was this an eternal punishment for never fulfilling what Akira did? Was it a final send off into the void, reminding him that he was never special, because someone could always do what he did better?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It seems that you failed your rehabilitation completely.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rehabilitation? What the hell was he going on about? Akechi had never been told anything about rehabilitation, every time he'd be forced to sit in his own version of the velvet room, he'd just be told that he wasn't doing enough, and be reprimanded for never being able to make the bonds Akira made. That he'd failed as a wild card. It was annoying, sure, but now he was being blamed for failing something he didn't have a clue about? That was just bullshit in his mind, bullshit that pissed him off to a point of him grabbing at the cell bars.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Look, I have no idea what you're pottering on about- but I don't know anything of "Rehabilitation", nor do I know how I've failed-!" </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His voice was so weak, so pathetic. He hated it, hated the sound of his words rolling off his tongue, they didn’t feel like his own, they felt like they were being ripped from his mind. Akechi couldn’t understand why this was Akira’s velvet room; did he always see himself as such a criminal, he questioned in his mind. He would’ve let the silence in the room overwhelm him, but the high pitched yell of one of the girls that was accompanied by a harsh sound of metal hitting metal broke the quiet.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Silence, Inmate! You don’t speak to our master like that, especially with your position right now!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The other girl started to speak after the one with the baton yelled. Akechi hated this, why was he being berated by two girls who looked like they were about 7? He never had this sort of stuff. Was Akira really just so much better than him?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The assistance our master provided was for naught, from the very start, you refused to follow the simple directions he set out to help you with your rehabilitation..”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Refused? Directions? What the hell were they going on about? Was this something that was meant as a message to Akira and not him, something that he’d just been thrown into as some last minute back up? He sighed, grasping the cold metal bars. It just felt right to do that. Really added to the situation. Of course, that was just him lying to himself, holding onto the bars helped him keep calm, the situation was too fast for him to keep up, and he’d rather not have a panic attack in a blue jail cell. Everything around him seemed to slow in here, especially his movement. All he could do was listen, he couldn’t move at all.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Humans are more apathetic...and more foolish than I had thought them to be. The world will soon see its ruin”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It took him a second to realise what “Ruin” meant. Ruin was what they saw, what </span>
  <em>
    <span>he</span>
  </em>
  <span> saw before he reappeared here. Mementos fused with the real world, was ruin. And somehow, this was now all his fault. It was his fault for not making bonds, his fault for not leading a team that hates him to victory, to saving this godforsaken earth that he’d much rather be erased from. They might have things to live for, but he didn’t. All he had was himself, and the years of trauma he’d gone through since his mother’s death, since when his mother was alive, throughout all of that period of his life. Since the damn  moment he was born, he’d been born into pain and suffering. He had to ask, he had to get clarification.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What do you me-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You have lost the game. You were meant to bring change to mankind as a trickster, but it seems that was too much for you. In accordance to the game’s rules, the defeated must pay a price.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a small pause, a pause big enough to have some time to think. A price to pay? The defeated? Akechi internally screamed </span>
  <em>
    <span>“This isn’t my fault!” “Stop blaming me for his mistakes!”</span>
  </em>
  <span> But of course, he was the one who so cruelly let him die, of course he’d have to make up for his mistakes. Of course, like always, it was his fault! His fault that someone else went through something. It was his fault Futaba was a shut in, it was his fault that Haru never got to recover from her father's death properly. Maybe this was karma. Maybe this was that god that gave him all his powers telling him that he’d completely and utterly fucked up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Your life is forfeit. I sentence you to be executed.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Huh-?”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Executed-!?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>For once, at least Akechi wasn’t the only one confused. Both of the girls looked at their so-called “Master” with a look of shock and fear. Maybe they weren’t as well informed as he thought. They looked like children, so who would tell them something like a big plan? Then again, they were most certainly NOT normal children. A normal child doesn’t have yellow eyes, nor do they have silvery hair, and they definitely don’t act like dream prison guards. He didn’t have time to contemplate who they were, especially with the fact he was about to die. Or, as Igor put it, “Executed”.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“God’s decree is absolute…My experiment has come to naught, everything is over..” There was some sort of change in his voice though. Something clicked that hadn’t before, something...weird.  </span>
  <b>
    <em>“Grant that man a swift death.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was another pause from the twins, they looked scared for some reason. Maybe they’d never done something like this before, maybe this is something that is rare. Or maybe this- Igor, found joy in killing pawns of his game off in brutal ways. Akechi didn’t know, and Akechi didn’t care, he’d been asking for death for years now, and he was finally getting it, even if it was an odd way of being killed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If it’s what our master wishes…- This means- this means you weren’t a good enough prisoner!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That may be true, but…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The girls’ hesitation was swiftly interrupted by Igor himself, his voice booming more than it ever had.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What is the matter? Carry out his sentence at once.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“..This isn’t even our prisoner, Caroline…but…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We can’t hesitate now-! We have to do this, be it our prisoner or not! He’s still lost our master’s game!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p><span>Another harsh strike to the bars Akechi was grasping caused him to be snapped from his thoughts of how his death would be, causing him to jump as he felt the electricity travel through the metal. He hadn’t noticed previously that the bars were electrified, it wasn’t all that comfortable either. But, as soon as he was shocked back, he felt hands grabbing at his wrists, dragging him. The few seconds he wasn’t paying attention gave the girls an upper hand at removing from the confines he’d been placed in. </span><em><span>It also somehow gave them a chance to summon fucking guillotines, </span></em><span>Akechi muttered to</span> <span>himself. He tried to wriggle his way from the girls grasp, it was like iron though, and there was no possible escape.</span></p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They threw him to the floor with a thud, not caring for any damage he’d endure from the hit, and in all honesty? Akechi didn’t care either. He’d already been erased from the public's memory, so to now be thrown to the ground in some dutty mental holding place that wasn’t even inside his own brain? It didn’t matter. None of this would ever matter again. He’d die, the thieves could sort this. This was never his problem, this wasn’t his fault! He didn’t even care what the girls were blabbering at him, something about his execution, he couldn’t care less anymore. He just wanted this all to be over. He wanted his revenge on Shido, he got it. He wanted to see him break down, he fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>got it.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“That’s one way to convince yourself that you don’t want to get revenge for him being able to take the easy way out of this.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Loki. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Loki.</span>
  </em>
  <span> That...was a voice he never expected to hear. Not after all of this. He didn’t even know he could hear him in here, or just outside of the metaverse. This was partially a metaverse though, so he couldn’t tell what that really meant.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I thought you weren’t going to give up, Goro. Why are you letting yourself fail like this? </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>Get up and show them who you are.</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Akechi’s eyes darted around the room, before he pushed himself onto his feet. The ball and chain was gone now, so it was a lot easier than before. As soon as he stood up though, he could hear a large crash from behind him, the bars on the cell he was being held in had broken and were now scattered on the floor. That wasn’t all of it though, his metaverse clothes, the infamous “black mask” had returned and replaced the prison rags he’d been put in.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“To think you’d still show a will of rebellion when you’re about to be executed...How disgusting-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>All he could do was stare at the girls, his body refused to move, only his mind held the will of wanting to win. Wanting to live. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Wanting to feel the sweet sweet taste of finally being better than a dead man. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Anger flowed through his veins like a burning fire, he wasn’t going to die here, he </span>
  <em>
    <span>can’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> die here. He had to at least prove himself to everyone that had ever doubted him that he was worth something more than being a puppet to someone else. No god could hold him down ever again, he’d finally be free. </span>
  <b>
    <em>Finally.</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The twins started to attack him, the personas they were using- Akira had used a lot of them. Did these people give him the personas he had as gifts or something, he thought. There was no point in contemplating it though, he just needed to focus on not dying, no matter how much this hurt. No matter how many burns would appear on his skins, no matter how much they attacked him, he just had to endure. It’d be over soon, the way they were acting made that obvious. They were getting skittish, refusing to deal the final blow. And clearly, Igor noticed that too.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why are you two hesitating? Perform the execution..”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Once again, the girls faltered as they looked towards each other. Something was clearly wrong with them, something had hit deep down. They looked just like someone had winded them, and struck a realisation inside their souls.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No...This isn’t right- Our duty isn’t to kill the inmate-!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Caroline-!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“..What gives- why am I doubting myself? Is there another duty left to us..?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The feeling of knowing they were confused just strengthened Akechi’s will to keep going, much to his surprise. He’d never felt this motivated in his entire existence to stay alive. He’d never </span>
  <em>
    <span>wanted</span>
  </em>
  <span> to stay alive like this. Even if it was out of spite, he still wanted to live, to prosper, to prove himself. He just had to keep repeating to himself that he was doing this to prove himself. He had to do this. There was no going back now, no matter how much pain he was in, there was no going back, ever. He could suddenly feel a presence behind him, looming over his crouched body.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I believe I ordered for his execution.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The brief silence between Igor’s words and Caroline and Justine’s responses gave Akechi time to lose himself to his thoughts. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He’d really fucked up this time.</span>
  </em>
  <span> He’d really dropped himself into the boiling pot with this one, why was he getting so involved in Akira’s mess? This was his velvet room, these were his wardens. Although, the concept of having wardens did intrigue him, had they been supporting him from behind the scenes? This must’ve been how he gained all those personas. All those fake personalities he put on, all the cover ups from his real personality and feelings towards others in his life. To cover up those traumas he’d split to Akechi on a rare occasion, or after a particularly bad day. He still never really understood why Akira trusted him so much, enough to tell him the issues in his life. Why trust someone who clearly wanted you dead? Why trust someone who was never honest? Why trust Goro Akechi? He couldn’t really understand. Maybe that’s why he was always so distant.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The world was quite quiet when he lost in thought. The quiet was welcomed, instead of focussing on the talks going on between the girls and their master. It felt wrong for him to be here, extremely wrong, as if he’d walked into the wrong house and walked into an argument, or came “home” after running away and seeing his ex foster siblings being screamed at. It was a common occurrence back then, but that didn't stop it from being harrowing every time he heard it. He could feel all the pain that had been inflicted on him during what was supposed to be Akira's execution. Burns, frostbite, cuts, bruises, all of it. He'd been through worse, but this still hurt more than he could've ever imagined.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Inmate! We're giving you one last task, you need to fuse us!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Caroline, he thought anyways, their voices were hard to tell apart, was asking him to do what? Fuse them? </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fuse them!?</span>
  </em>
  <span> He looked up to the girls in confusion, before they started to walk towards the guillotines that they had somehow made appear behind them about twenty minutes ago. He was still ungodly confused, even when they started to talk again, Justine was speaking now.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"We were torn apart by a malevolent being...To not forsake humanity, we need to be whole again. We understand you know not much...but please, Inmate."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He let out a sigh, standing up and folding his arms. Fuse them? He was still confused on how to do something like that. He just had to will it or something, right? That’s what he assumed, it couldn’t be all that hard. They were already doing their part from what he could see, setting themselves up to be beheaded. Would there be blood, he wondered to himself, but quickly shook it off. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Now was not the time to consider if these twins had blood.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Right now, he needed to focus more on not dying, focus on what was being demanded of him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>After this, he could stop being a puppet.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The world seemed to slow as the blades came down on their necks, blue...energy? Akechi assumed it was, he couldn’t actually give two shits for what it actually was. What he more cared about was what it was forming in front of him, it looked like another child, similar in height and appearance to- Justine and Caroline? Yeah, those were their names. He sighed again, before looking the new girl up and down as she brushed imagined dust off of her dress, giving a small bow.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My name...is Lavenza.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lavenza? What the hell sort of name was that? Akechi decided he should probably keep his thoughts to himself, but the fact her name was </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lavenza</span>
  </em>
  <span>, made him laugh. It was a stupid fantasy name. He sighed as he nodded along to what she was saying even though he wasn’t particularly listening. She was talking about something like being “ripped apart” by a “fake igor”. Something about how her original goal wasn’t to provide assistance to Akechi himself, but wished to help all the wildcards that had been pawns in this fake god’s game. Snap. Her fingers were up near his face as she clicked for his attention, her voice soft and calm.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please listen to me. You may not be the original trickster I was tasked to assist, but I must ask that you listen to me and help me fulfil my cause. That man over there has swindled my master’s name”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As she spoke, her stance changed, almost as if she were ready to fight, and unconsciously, Akechi followed in her footsteps, preparing for another fight.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Your lies will no longer deceive me!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>If this didn’t already feel like a movie or some family drama, Igor started to speak again, although, he wasn’t too sure if this was even the real Igor. The talk of a malevolent will was slowly dropping seeds of doubt in his mind about who he should trust now, and who was actually there to help him. For just a second, he thought maybe Lavenza could be against him. However, that completely changed when whoever was stood in front of them started to fucking float. Not like he hadn’t seen this sort of trick before, but this time it just felt awkward, incorrect. But sure as hell, no matter how it made Akechi feel internally, this clearly wasn't a good sign.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“This game isn’t over yet. Whether the human world is left as is, or is destroyed and rebuilt, it is all sport to me.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> The change in tone was </span>
  <em>
    <span>definitely</span>
  </em>
  <span> another bad sign</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lavenza’s voice rang out again, soft as ever, but louder than before. She knew something, obviously, if that- thing, floating in front of them was actually there to help, she wouldn’t be so scared right now.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Be careful with what you say..”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Somehow, for the first time in a very long time, he knew exactly what to ask.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What the fuck are you?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Okay, maybe that came off as a little more aggressive than he should’ve sounded with his life on the line, but this is all he could particularly do. Pent up anger had to be let out someway, that’s what Akira had told him many times in the past. The creature tilted it’s head in a morbid confusion, however, it’s expression stayed unmoving. Definitely a sight Akechi never wanted to see again after this was over. He didn’t even want to see a damn velvet room after this.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“If I were to put it into terms you can comprehend, I am the Holy Grail that grants wishes…” </span>
  </em>
  <span>A pause. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“No...It may be more accurate to say that I am a God who responds to desire and holds dominion over man.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The “God” started to readjust what he was wearing, still glaring down at the two with a look of disgust, trying to pick at their layers to find their weakness. Unluckily for this thing, Akechi had his entire life's worth of practice at hiding his weaknesses and fears. He put that down mostly to Shido, but a lot of his life he’d done it too. He was doing okay right now, this would be alright. He could get out of this.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I couldn’t even go through with my original plan, of a righteous thief changing the hearts of the wicked, seeing as your actions changed that too much...You know what happened, of course. I don’t think repeating it does any good. To be frank, I don’t think there’s any point reevaluating someone like you, who cannot follow their life's plan. Your foolishness has already set you on the life's road of destruction and death. I have no need for you, or any of those pathetic thieves.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And with that, the dark haze surrounding the room disappeared, taking the “God” with it, giving Akechi a moment to breathe. He’d been trying to keep calm for a while now, at least, and he probably would’ve been calmer if it wasn’t for the sounds of chains behind him. Or, the blinding light coming from the centre of those chains. If he needed glasses after this, he was blaming that damn god. Or, whatever just appeared from the light. The man looked the exact same as the “God” that was floating in front of him just a few moments ago, but instead, seemed tired, hunched over his desk. Still didn’t make up for the blinding light. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Master…!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lavenza hurriedly walked towards her “master”’s side, watching him as he sat up with a groan. There was already a difference, his voice seemed more welcoming and calm, not belittling and cruel.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh my...It’s been a while since I set foot in this place..” His head tilted as he spoke, making sure he was looking into Akechi’s eyes in the most uncomfortable way possible. “Welcome to the velvet room. My name is Igor, I’m pleased to make your acquaintance.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Akechi sighed, crossing his arms as he listened to them drone on and on, once again letting himself space out as he listened. They were going on and on about “This Igor is the true aid of your quest” and “that he would need to re-recruit his team to take down the false idol who put himself in Igor’s shoes”, and “He could still save this world from ruin”. The thought of having to do this alone filled him with more comfort than doing it with the Phantom Thieves did, but if it was the only way he could get back to normality and not be killed by a group of teenagers going through the five stages of grief, he’d prefer it. But, apparently, because he was a wildcard, he was supposed to be able to free them. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>And that was what he would do, even if it was in his own, unconventional way.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>---------------------------</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Walking around the small back corridors of Akira's velvet room was awkward, intrusive. He may have tried to find out everything about him, but that didn't particularly mean he actually wanted to go and discover the depths of his mind, that was just weird. He also would prefer to not see anything relating to himself, knowing Akira, it'd be weird. He had a goal though. Find Makoto. Even if she was the one who tolerated him the least, she was also the one most likely to be able to convince the other thieves to get off their asses and help again. They trusted her, she was like a second leader, even Akechi could admit to that being the truth. If it were his choice to choose a second leader, he'd go for her too. Sure, she used to be a pushover, but now? He couldn't really tell if that was true anymore. And that was when he finally found her, sat in a ball in her own cell. Slightly pathetic.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Niijima."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Akechi-?!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She glared at him, taking a more defensive position. Obviously, he wasn't the person she'd really want to see in a place she'd never been in before, but as long as he could just convince her to help, they'd be fine. And maybe, just maybe, that Lavenza girl would be off his back for fulfilling Akira's unfinished job.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Niijima, I need your help-" He didn't mean to sound as if he was pleading, he didn't particularly mean to show any weakness.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Why are you here? Didn't you get sent out like- didn't you disappear or something?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> It really did seem that she was as scared, like someone had exploited her weaknesses and left her out to die in the middle of the woods...maybe that was a bit of a reach. But she was scared, clearly, especially of Akechi being the person talking to her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I did. Everyone’s here, apparently. Can you like- calm down, for two minutes? You’re like your sister when you get worked up” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Bad fucking word choice, Akechi</span>
  </em>
  <span>. But somehow, that worked. He observed as she slowly started to calm herself, standing up to look at him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where are we, first of all?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Akira’s velvet room, or something. Don’t ask me, I don’t particularly care. I just need your help getting </span>
  <em>
    <span>your</span>
  </em>
  <span> group back together. You need to ke-”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“No- Can you not see that there isn’t any possible way we can do this? That- thing, the Holy Grail, we can’t destroy that, we aren’t strong enough. No possible outcome I’ve weighed up ends with our victory.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>How in all hell did Akira tolerate this when this happened? Or did this sort of self depreciation never come up amongst the thieves? Either way, Akechi simply just sighed, he hated himself enough, he didn’t need to deal with other peoples self hatred too. That’s why therapists existed- now he thought about it, maybe that’s why Akira was the way he was, constantly trying to help everyone other than himself, even to the very end. He was stupid, in Akechi’s mind.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Makoto Niijima, I didn’t nearly just fucking die for you to throw a pity party. You’ve pulled your team this far, you need to find that damn confidence you wore as a badge constantly, or you’re just going to revert to being a-” He paused, purposefully, smirking as he did. “What did I call you? A good girl push-over?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Maybe he’d taken that one a little too far. Seemed to piss her off though, which in a way, was a decent motivation. Maybe he wouldn’t take said approach again, but at least he’d know what made her tick. He knew that targeting someone’s weakness could easily break them, and force them to do whatever you wanted of them. The same tactic had been used on him more times than he’d like to ever admit. It was fine though, that was over now. She clicked her tongue, looking away from Akechi as he spoke.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why are you doing this, Akechi-? Why are you trying to help us?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Because your will of rebellion is probably some extension of your leaders, and you have bonds with your team that I </span>
  <em>
    <span>don’t.</span>
  </em>
  <span> I need you to sort your team, they won’t listen to me-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He stopped, considering how the last part of his argument would come across. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Your leader is dead and I need you to try to fill his role so you all don’t die” </span>
  </em>
  <span>sounded too nice, but it was also the only polite way to say </span>
  <em>
    <span>“You’re an idiot and will die if you don’t do what I say right this instant”. </span>
  </em>
  <span>How do you put that in a simple way, he thought, as he tapped on the wall besides the cell, speaking once more.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They need a leader, Makoto. And you know they’ll listen to me more than you, even in a life or death situation like this. Sure, maybe you won’t win, but your dearest leader wouldn’t go down without a fight now, would he?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her voice wavered as she tried to find her answer, probably the best reaction Akechi could’ve hoped for. Seeing as he could’ve just as easily gotten a response of her trying to break out of the jail cell and strangling him...Not like she hadn’t voiced that she’d wanted to do that before. That was an awkward discovery during his and Akira’s meetings at the jazz club. Extremely awkward. Then again, hopefully, Makoto didn’t know that Akechi knew of her hatred towards him in that regard. It didn’t matter at this point, all that really mattered was convincing her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>What he wouldn’t expect, was a solemn smile on her face, or that warm laugh that was vaguely like Sae’s.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re right…He wouldn’t go down like that, and neither should we, right?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A flash of flames similar to the one that engulfed Akechi’s body during his outfit change engulfed Makoto, her cell door opening as she stepped out in her metaverse outfit, for once seeming like she was happy to be wearing it. Finally, no one would have to hear her whining that it looked like shit. Even if it did look like shit, no one wanted to hear anymore of it. Makoto went up to Akechi, crossing her arms in a similar fashion to how he crossed his own.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, where is everyone else, know-it-all?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Go find them, they’re somewhere around these halls, apparently. I’m going. Enjoy your te-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As he tried to walk away, a hand firmly grasped his wrist. Those knuckles on her outfit really weren’t just for show.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re going nowhere,” She barked, “You’re technically the reason we’re extra in this mess, and you’re the reason I got out of it. I don’t like you, and I probably never will, but you’re staying and helping the thieves. Think of it as some way to repay us for our leader’s sacrifice to save your life.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He sighed, shaking her hand off of him before rubbing where he had been so harshly grabbed. Why did women have such harsh grips? All of the girls on the thieves were brutal with how harshly they’d grab at you sometimes, and compared to everyone else? He’d much rather take on Ryuji in a fist fight than one of them. They could probably snap his wrist with a gentle tap. Or maybe he was just weak. That could easily be the case at this point.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You find everyone else. I'll be waiting."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>---------------------------</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It could've been minutes or it could've been hours, but it was enough time to contemplate what was going on. For one, Akechi had nearly been erased from existence, saved by some child with a book, and had a god tell him that he'd fucked up. Really not the way he wanted to spend christmas eve, but that's how the tables had turned. He sighed, messing with the belts on his arm, wondering why 15 year old him thought this was an amazing outfit idea. Then again, he could easily change it, so maybe the nostalgia of this suit was too strong. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The girl, Lavenza, was standing next to Igor at his desk, they were speaking about something. Probably how they'd continue now that their trump card was dead. Lavenza had been helping only Akira for so long, it must've been a shock to her when he sacrificed himself for some trash like me, Akechi muttered in his head. He still didn't understand why this had all happened, he would've gladly died instead of Akira. He'd wanted to die for years now. But no, he was stuck at home after leaving the palace and fixing up a bullet wound because the guy who he tried to distance himself from grew too attached and "loved him". He “loved” the detective prince, obviously, loved the thought of someone so powerful and famous confiding in him. Loved the thrill of having a close bond with his “rival”, having a bond with the man that tried to kill him. He would’ve let himself get lost in the thought if it weren’t for a voice coming from behind him. Futaba Sakura.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Queen, what do you mean you couldn’t find Mona-!?” She sounded panicked, panicked and worried. It made sense to Akechi, she always seemed quite fond of the cat. Or whatever it was.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know where he is, I’m sorry, Orac-” Makoto came to a halt as she was walking, the rest of the group behind her as she saw Akechi sat against the sides of the Velvet room, a small laugh breaking her stone cold face. “I didn’t expect you to actually listen and stay.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Don’t be rude. Don’t. Be. Rude.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, when a strong woman grabs my arm and yells at me, what else am I supposed to do?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Idiot.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The lighthearted comment Makoto had made lost all of it’s niceness as she continued to ignore him after that point, heading to Igor and Lavenza. Akechi stood, following behind the group as he did. He didn’t particularly want them to see him, but he was wrapped up in this all with them, he at least had to listen this time. Like before, Igor and Lavenza started to introduce themselves and their purpose, everything seemed to be going exactly the same as it had when the real Igor returned. However, their little speech was interrupted by Ann, half yelling, half pleading.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, where’s Mona!?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lavenza never broke her soft and calm tone, even if her face showed some disappointment from being interrupted.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’s right there, take a look..”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Low and behold, as they turned around, there the bastard was. Akechi could see Futaba’s excitement, almost as if she were trying to restrain herself from running and picking up the creature. Akechi would never truly get over how weird the thing looked, it’s large head, uncomfortably large eyes, the small body holding it up, Morgana looked like a living bobble head, and not in a good or cute way.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Once everyone had gotten over their “Where have you been?” or “Morgana what the fuck?”, the thing started to speak, explaining that he was born here. That this place was his home, Igor was his “master” just like Lavenza, and that he was supposed to “Help the trickster”. The pause after that said everything though, it didn’t take anymore than a second for everyone to recognise the fatal flaw. The “Trickster” they spoke so highly of, wasn’t with them, and in his place, was his rival, the man who was supposed to fulfil the other half of the plot. The one supposed to help the false idol. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Our issue right now is that the wildcard you see before you never held the same capabilities as the trickster. However, there is still a sliver of hope.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A sliver. A sliver of hope was all they had in this team if Akira wasn’t there. How pitiful. Akechi sighed, crossing his arms before speaking up, no one else was going to, so he had to do it himself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And, Lavenza, what is that sliver of hope? Can they still do something if I join them for this battle?” He paused to look at the thieves, they seemed to be shocked that he even spoke up. That might just have been that they weren’t used to their leader taking verbal action. Akira was quite quiet around them all. “Hypothetically, if I join them, is there more chance of them getting out of this mess alive? I’d rather not be saddled with their deaths on my conscience for the rest of my time floating around in the void. I’ve already killed enough people.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His statement left the thieves and the velvet room staff in a state of shocked silence. Sure, maybe he had taken it too far, but what he said was the truth. He may want to die, but not like this, not when he was still a puppet to something, he at least wanted to die knowing he was freed from it all. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Well...If you assist them, then, yes, there is a sliver of hope, like I stated...But you are all going up against a god. You must be careful, you've messed around in his game once, he already wishes you gone." Lavenza said quietly in response</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Somehow, when Akechi looked at the group this time, he didn't see disturbed or panicked faces, instead motivated ones. How funny, someone they formerly hated finally sparking some inspiration and motivation into their brains. Okay, well, maybe they did still despise him, but it seemed like they valued living a little bit more than being petty. A good thing for everyone, especially Akechi. All that it came down to was one final question, directed towards Makoto once again, making sure to try “appeal” to the thieves. How? He didn’t know, but he’d do it in some way, shape or form.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His words were soft, he couldn’t really argue right now. “Makoto, do you want me to join for this, and I mean it this time, final fight? Or are you all still against me helping?” He sighed, crossing his arms, not expecting a positive response.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a moment of silence amongst the thieves, before whispers started being passed around, Haru and Ann seemed like they were arguing briefly, but maybe that was a missassessment on Akechi’s end. However, before any of them could speak up about their opinions on the matter, Igor spoke for the first time in what felt like hours (It’d probably only been about 5 minutes).</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I believe working as a team would be for the best, no matter your own personal gripes. Without the help of a wildcard, your plan will surely fail. Yaldabaoth is stronger than anything you have likely faced to this point, even you, Goro Akechi, haven’t faced something like this. So please, put your personal disagreements aside as to help your cause, and to save this world from ruin.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ew. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ew.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Akechi hated hearing his full name like that, why couldn’t he have just been addressed as Akechi? Or just as “Him”? </span>
  <em>
    <span>Whatever, I can’t be picky</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he thought, retaking his place nearer to the group. Right next to Ann, she had the least issues with him from what he could remember. Sae’s palace was a blur now, like a lot of his life.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Our mutual friend can lead you out of here, but you must proceed with utmost caution. We wish you the best of luck going forward with your mission, and please, save this world.” Lavenza gave a small wave to Morgana as she spoke, waving him off somewhere to lead the group, seeing as he was said mutual friend.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>---------------------------</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Stepping outside of the velvet room once more felt like a kick in the stomach. Even if Akechi hated it there and how stuffy it felt, it was much nicer than whatever state Shibuya was in right now. Large, skeletal structures pierced through the ground, curling like archways, or curling around buildings, it matched the sky at least, which was now red. Maybe it was because of how much time he’d previously spent in Mementos, but this felt almost normal. It wasn’t, obviously, but it felt that way. He could’ve stared at the new environment for hours if it wasn’t for a small tap on the shoulder. Turning around to face whoever was trying to get his attention, he didn’t expect it to be Yusuke of all people.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Crow, we should start heading off. Queen has already stated that we’ll be in two small groups until we get to the top.” As normal, he was quite calm about everything, if it weren’t for his entire group despising Akechi, maybe they could’ve been friends. The same could be said for a lot of the thieves, really. If it weren't for everything else, maybe he really could've been friends with these people.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Akechi calmly nodded, looking up the long road they had to now traverse to finally get this "Kill God" mission over. Not something he expected to say was a part of his life, but when you've spent the last 3 years as a hitman, anything is possible. His group was the smaller of the two, consisting of Ann and Yusuke, weirdly enough. In his mind, he assumed they'd both be helpful for whatever was coming up, but if the new leader didn't see them fit, they were stuck with him. At least it was two people who could tolerate his existence, right? Ann had always been quite nice to him, and understood how he felt being famous, or even just having a job as a teenager. And then Yusuke? Yusuke just seemed to be very accepting of people, even if they'd fucked everyone else over gravely. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When he walked up to his small group, he was greeted by a smile from both of them. A genuine one, too. Ann waved her hand in a vague "Follow me" gesture, before starting to walk away. She was talking, but neither Yusuke or Akechi could make out what she was saying. Something about this being easy, that "We're the backups, so we do nothing". Something didn't sit right about doing nothing in this sort of situation. But, Makoto's group already seemed to be taking care of some shadows up ahead, maybe Ann could've been right about this being easy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>---------------------------</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Would this have been better on a bike? No. Did Akechi still wish he hadn't left it in mementos? Yes. Following behind Ann was fine and all, but getting to do barely anything wasn't. Makoto's group seemed fine with dealing with everything they crossed paths with, even extremely dangerous foes that could knock them out in a flash. They were all healers on the team except Ryuji, so that's probably why they had no issue at all with simply destroying them. Although, a walk to just catch his breath as he readied himself to either kill an all powerful being, or die trying? It was well deserved, and well needed. Yusuke had gone up ahead with Ann, not too far, but far enough so Akechi couldn't hear their conversations. It made the walk extremely quiet, another upside, another reason to get lost in thought. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The ones who were actually fighting, they'd fought three major shadows with no need for back-up. Futaba kept going on about how there was always "One more to go", at this rate, when there really was one more to go, they'd all be bored out of their minds. They seemed to nearly be to the top though, and there seemed to only be room for one more "big fight". A big fight that was already taking place, because, in Ann's words (Or what Akechi overheard) "Queen's group is much stronger and can do anything". Be that sarcasm or how Ann actually felt, Akechi couldn't tell, all he could tell was that they seemed to be handling things fine.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Until he heard Haru scream.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She was knocked back a few feet, leg bleeding heavily. The team up there fighting was in complete disarray, Makoto trying to heal Haru, Ryuji and Morgana trying to keep fighting, but it was clear something was going wrong. Yusuke and Ann looked to each other, they were about to head up to help.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>This is your chance. Show them.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>For once, Robin Hood was the one advising him. A sense of calm overcame Akechi’s body as he started to run, pushing past Yusuke and Ann, forcing himself to the battle field, and seeing the enemy above them. An angel. A literal, biblical angel. He didn’t care what else he could find out about this thing, he just knew he had to stop it. Everything else noise wise blurred around him as he focused on the Shadow itself. Everyone seemed to be watching him, even if they were actually just trying to attack the thing themselves. Akechi took a deep breath, positioning his hand to rip off his mask, preparing for the pain.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Screaming through his teeth, he pulled off the mask. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“LOKI-!”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Initial adrenaline from summoning his persona rendered the pain from pulling off his mask almost obsolete, but as he commanded attacks from Loki to the shadow, he could feel the stinging pain come back. Laveithen, Megidolaon, Eigaon, Riot gun. All of these moves he refused to use against the phantom thieves, now having to be put on display to help them, it was something he despised that he had to do, but preservation was key, and so was blasting the ever loving shit out of some phony angel. As tired as he felt, piling on the attacks made the rushing feeling of power flow through his veins, forcing him to impulsively keep going, to keep seeking the rush of watching something they struggled with be destroyed under his heel like a bug. Yet, once it was finally gone, with some off handed help from the others, he didn’t get praise. Instead;</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Uh...Crow, is that how you always fight? Or like, can you tone down the anime villain yelling a little?” Futaba tilted her head, she looked as if she were about to start laughing at him. Of course, he’d blinded himself to how he acted as he fought once again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>All he could do was sigh and reply, “Sorry. Heal up, we’re nearly at the top, are we not?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Some of them nodded, some of them just looked away and kept walking. Not even a thank you, really showed how little they actually wanted </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span> along, and more just wanted the extra man power. A “Replacement” for their lost wildcard, huh? They all were happy enough without him, but they just “needed him”. Like everyone else “Needed him” for one thing or another. He decided to try to ignore that, walking off on his own to view their final destination, and not expecting to be followed by anyone. Key point, “Not expecting”. He heard small clicks of heels behind him as he stood looking to where they were supposed to enter, before feeling a small tap on his shoulder.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Crow? You doing okay?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“An- Panther?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Of all the people to check up on him, Ann was...the most likely, really. From all that research, he knew she was extremely compassionate, always one to try to help others before herself. At least she was working on that according to Akira. It was funny to Akechi that he knew so much about the thieves because of his meetings with Akira, where Akira would talk to him about his weeks or days and how he’d been helping all these different people. A pleaser to the end.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I just wanted to come and see if you were alright, you looked sorta in pain during that impromptu fight hop in and all! Do you need healing?” She was chipper as ever, never one to let herself get caught in the negativity of the moment.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll be fine. I can heal myself. I’m a wildcard, am I not? I don’t need to rely on others.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As he spoke, he could see her mood slowly start to deflate. He knew he’d been rude to her, but he hadn’t meant to upset her in such a way. He knew he was being rude, and she knew why, she’d always had a knack at figuring things like that out, no matter who, what, or why.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ann was still oddly happy about what was going on, that translating into her voice. “So...are you ready, Zebra boy?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zebra boy- Zebra boy? What the hell did she mean by that, he pondered before actually saying that to her. “What the fuck?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Zebra boy! Your outfit kinda has stripes, and your persona and all..- you kinda look like one. Queen told me not to say that because you’d get all pissy, but she’s probably overreacting, yeah?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Sure, Ann, she’s overreacting. Bullshit. I’m going to punch you, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Is what he would’ve said, but for some reason, he couldn’t voice that. He couldn’t say that to her face when she was so happy about her “Joke” at the expense of his looks and attire. So, instead, he decided to be polite. Be like the detective prince should be, plastering a fake smile on his face. Even if he was showing his true self, he could still hide his true feelings for a few seconds.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, if that’s how you interpret it, I can’t stop you, can I now?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She laughed. </span>
  <em>
    <span>She laughed.</span>
  </em>
  <span> That was something to add to the “Things Akechi never thought he’d do” list. He’d never thought of the day he’d make someone laugh, other than Akira obviously. Someone that isn’t the man who claimed to love him so much, he made them laugh, even if it was at his own expense. And somehow, he caught himself laughing along, laughing at himself. At least it made Ann happy. It must’ve been a confusing sight though, to see the team traitor and one of the original members laughing together over goddamned zebras. That’s how they stayed for about a minute, too, before Ann calmed herself down, and Akechi could finally slip in his question.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you scared, Ann?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“...I am, but we have to do this, don’t we? We either do nothing and definitely die, or maybe, just maybe, give it a shot and we live, yeah?” Her smile faded as she started to pull at her gloves. She was scared, and that was understandable.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We do, you’re right. You and your friends will be fine. Akira wouldn’t want you dying without giving it a shot, would he?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Nodding her head solemnly, Ann agreed with what he’d said. All of the phantom thieves knew that Akira would’ve led them like this, and that this was their last chance to change everything. Their last chance to save the world. He’d always want to do something like that, something cheesy like being the world’s saviour. It’d slot so tightly into his “people pleaser” complex, that Akechi thought him not just showing up from the dead was more shocking than him not being here. There wasn’t anymore time to ponder things like that though, the rest of the thieves had finished their resting, and had caught up, and they were ready to face whatever was ahead of them in these grand halls. Whatever Yaldabaoth had planned for them, they could take it on.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In unison, they started to walk back into the hall of jail cells where the Holy Grail, better known now as Yaldabaoth, God of Control, originally resided.</span>
</p><p>
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</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>THIS BITCH TOOK SO LONG. I'M SO SORRY. depressive episodes kicked in like majorly nd it was not fun. but! chapter out! killing god soon! xoxo!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>If you'd like to contact me at all, here are some of my social medias!</p><p>Twitter -&gt; https://twitter.com/yamarugii<br/>Tumblr -&gt; https://yamarugi.tumblr.com</p></blockquote></div></div>
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